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The prognostic value of positron emission tomography (PET) in early therapy response assessment, after completion of chemotherapy and 3 months after the end of treatment in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) remains to be defined. We report the results of 69 patients with first presentation of advanced HL. [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy- d-glucose (FDG)-PET scan was performed after four cycles (PET-4), on completion of chemotherapy after 6/8 cycles (PET-6/8) and 3 months after the completion of chemotherapy (PET 3-months). Median follow-up was 55 months. The negative predictive value (NPV) for PET-4, PET-6/8 and PET 3-months was 98%, 95% and 97%, respectively. The 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) for PET-4 negative ( n == 51) and PET-4 positive ( n == 18) patients was 96% and 78%, respectively ( p == 0.016). The 4-year PFS for PET-6/8 negative ( n == 59) and PET-6/8 positive ( n == 9) patients was 95% and 78%, respectively ( p == 0.046). Patients with a large mediastinal mass constituted nearly all of the PET-4 positive (16/18) and PET-6/8 positive (8/9) patients. After radiotherapy of PET-6/8 positive patients, PET 3-months was negative in 64 (97%) and positive in two (3%) patients. PET 3-months after the end of chemotherapy was of limited value when the interim PET-4 was negative. Interim PET after four cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone (BEACOPP) is a strong prognostic marker for PFS in advanced HL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]