In a nutshell
This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of brentuximab-vedotin (Bv; Adcetris) combined with bendamustine (Treanda: B) as salvage treatment in patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). This study concluded that this treatment is safe and effective in these patients.
Some background
Standard treatments for cHL have very good results. However, approximately 30% of patients with still develop r/r disease. The standard of care for r/r cHL is salvage therapy followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Salvage treatment is treatment given after previous treatment has failed. HCT involves transplanting healthy blood-forming stem cells from the same patient.
Current salvage therapies achieve cure rates in about 50% of patients. Therefore, other salvage treatment options are needed. BV is an immunotherapy that targets lymphoma cells that have a certain immune protein (CD30) on them. Bendamustine (B) has been shown to improve the outcomes of patients with relapsed HL. It has also been shown to increase the presence of CD30 proteins on lymphoma cells. This improves the effectiveness of BV. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of BV combined with B (BBV) as a salvage therapy for patients with cHL headed for HCT.
Methods & findings
This study involved 30 patients with r/r cHL who received BBV salvage therapy. None of the patients had previously received B or BV treatment. Patients were followed up for 12 months.
Overall, 79% of patients responded to BBV treatment. 62% had a complete response (complete disappearance of cancer signs). All these patients were eligible for a HCT. 57% of patients underwent autologous HCT and 26% underwent allogeneic HCT (transplant from a matched donor).
After 3 years, it was estimated that 75% of patients were alive and 58% were alive without complications from cHL.
70% of patients experienced neutropenia (low level of neutrophils which are a type of white blood cell) as a severe side effect. Other side effects included infections and nerve damage in 13% of patients.
The bottom line
This study concluded that BBV before HCT is a safe and effective salvage treatment for patients with r/r cHL.
The fine print
This study had a small number of participants and a short follow-up period. Larger studies are needed.
Published By :
Frontiers in oncology
Date :
Feb 08, 2022
