The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate lung function and the time course of serum concentration of selected cytokines known to be involved in pulmonary fibrosis, in 39 patients with stages IIB, III and IV Hodgkin's disease submitted to intermediate-high dose chemotherapy, (epirubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, prednisone) followed by radiotherapy. Lung function tests were performed before, at the end of treatment and after a follow-up of more than 12 months from the end of the combined therapy. Tumor necrosis factor alpha, fibronectin and Interleukins 4, 6 and 8 were determined on serum samples collected at the same time intervals. In the patients, spirometric parameters apparently improved whereas diffusing capacity for CO (DLCO) decreased, TNF-alpha concentrations constantly decreased, fibronectin and IL-8 showed a tendency to increase, but Interleukins 4 and 6 did not show significant modifications. No significant correlations were observed between the changes of lung function tests and serum cytokine concentrations, probably because cytokine serum levels were not able to reflect events occurring in the alveolar phase.