ABVD alone versus radiation-based therapy in limited-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma

Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and accelerated atherosclerosis: An intriguing association needing targeted surveillance. Lessons from a rare case of acute anterior myocardial infarction

We report the case of a 23-year-old man who developed an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction secondary to acute thrombotic occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery five years after undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and bulky mediastinal mass involving the pleura and pericardium. His medical history also included Graft versus Host Disease developed 13 months after transplantation and acute myocarditis three months before the actual hospital admission. To the best of our knowledge, coronary artery disease as a complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and low-dose mediastinal radiation therapy in young patients has been rarely reported in the medical literature. Clinicians should have a high degree of suspicion of coronary artery disease in patients treated with allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, especially in patients previously treated with target mediastinal radiotherapy, as a group at risk of premature and significantly accelerated atherosclerosis, in order to make a timely and correct diagnosis.

Reducing Heart Dose with Protons and Cardiac Substructure Sparing for Mediastinal Lymphoma Treatment

Purpose

Electrocardiogram-gated computed tomography with coronary angiography can be used for cardiac substructure sparing (CSS) optimization, which identifies and improves avoidance of cardiac substructures when treating with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). We investigated whether intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) would further reduce dose to cardiac substructures for patients with mediastinal lymphoma.

Patients and Methods

Twenty-one patients with mediastinal lymphoma were enrolled and underwent electrocardiogram-gated computed tomography angiography during or shortly after simulation for radiotherapy planning. Thirteen patients with delineated cardiac substructures underwent comparative planning with both IMPT and IMRT. Plans were normalized for equivalent (95%) target volume coverage for treatment comparison.

Results

Thirteen patients met criteria for this study. The median size of the mediastinal lymphadenopathy was 7.9 cm at the greatest diameter. Compared with IMRT-CSS, IMPT-CSS significantly reduced mean dose to all cardiac substructures, including 3 coronary arteries and 4 cardiac valves. Use of IMPT significantly reduced average whole-heart dose from 9.6 to 4.9 Gy (P < .0001), and average mean lung dose was 9.7 vs 5.8 Gy (P < .0001). Prospectively defined clinically meaningful improvement was observed in at least 1 coronary artery in 9 patients (69%), at least 1 cardiac valve in 10 patients (77%), and whole heart in all 13 patients.

Conclusions

For patients with mediastinal lymphoma, IMPT-CSS treatment planning significantly reduced radiation dose to cardiac substructures. The significant improvements outlined in this study for proton therapy suggest possible clinical improvement in alignment with previous analyses of CSS optimization.

Saudi Lymphoma Group's Clinical Practice Guidelines for Diagnosis, Management and Follow-up of Patients with Various Types of Lymphoma during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

The Saudi Lymphoma Group had previously published recommendations on the management of the major subtypes of lymphoma. However, the effect the currently ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has on the management of patients with lymphoma has been paramount. Therefore, the Saudi Lymphoma Group has decided to provide clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis, management and follow-up of patients with various types of lymphoma during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessment of Radiation Doses Delivered to Organs at Risk Among Patients With Early-Stage Favorable Hodgkin Lymphoma Treated With Contemporary Radiation Therapy

IMPORTANCE

Response-adapted randomized trials have used positron emission tomography-computed tomography to attempt to identify patients with early-stage favorable Hodgkin lymphoma (ESFHL) who could be treated with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) without radiation therapy (RT). While maximal efficacy is demonstrated with combined modality therapy, RT is often omitted in fear of late adverse effects; however, the application of modern RT could limit these toxic effects.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the radiation doses delivered to organs at risk with modern involved-site RT among patients with ESFHL treated with 20 Gy after 2 cycles of ABVD.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This case series included 42 adult patients with ESFHL (according to the German Hodgkin Study Group criteria) who were treated between 2010 and 2019, achieved complete response by positron emission tomography-computed tomography (1-3 on 5-point scale) following 2 cycles of ABVD, and then received consolidative RT. The study was conducted at a single comprehensive cancer center.

EXPOSURES

2 cycles of chemotherapy followed by 20-Gy involved-site RT.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The medical records of patients with ESFHL were examined. Organs at risk were contoured, and doses were calculated. Progression-free survival, defined from date of diagnosis to disease progression, relapse, or death, and overall survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

The cohort comprised 42 patients with ESFHL (median [range] age at diagnosis, 35 [18-74] years; 18 [43%] women; 24 [57%] with stage II disease). At a median follow-up of 44.6 (95% CI, 27.6-61.6) months, the 3-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 91.2% (95% CI, 74.9%-97.1%) and 97.0% (95% CI, 80.4%-99.6%), respectively. The mean heart dose was less than 5 Gy (mean, 0.8 Gy; SD, 1.5 Gy; range, 0-4.8 Gy) in all patients. The mean (SD) breast dose for both breasts was 0.1 (0.2) Gy (left breast range, 0-1.0 Gy; right breast range, 0-0.9 Gy).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this study, combined modality therapy with 2 cycles of ABVD and 20 Gy for ESFHL was highly effective and avoided excess doses to organs at risk, which may limit long-term toxic effects.

Hodgkin lymphoma: A 2020 update on diagnosis, risk-stratification, and management

DISEASE OVERVIEW

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is an uncommon B-cell lymphoid malignancy affecting 8480 new patients annually and representing approximately 10% of all lymphomas in the United States.

DIAGNOSIS

Hodgkin lymphoma is composed of two distinct disease entities: classical HL and nodular lymphocyte predominant HL. Nodular sclerosis, mixed cellularity, lymphocyte depletion, and lymphocyte-rich HL are subgroups of classical HL.

RISK STRATIFICATION

An accurate assessment of the stage of disease in patients with HL is critical for the selection of the appropriate therapy. Prognostic models that identify patients at low or high risk for recurrence, as well as the response to therapy as determined by positron emission tomography (PET) scan, are used to optimize therapy.

RISK-ADAPTED THERAPY

Initial therapy for HL patients is based on the histology of the disease, the anatomical stage and the presence of poor prognostic features. Patients with early stage disease are typically treated with combined modality strategies utilizing abbreviated courses of combination chemotherapy, followed by involved-field radiation therapy. Patients with advanced stage disease receive a longer course of chemotherapy, often without radiation therapy. However, newer agents including brentuximab vedotin and anti-PD-1 antibodies are now being incorporated into frontline therapy.

MANAGEMENT OF RELAPSED/REFRACTORY DISEASE

High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) followed by an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) is the standard of care for most patients who relapse following initial therapy. For patients who fail HDCT with ASCT, brentuximab vedotin, PD-1 blockade, non-myeloablative allogeneic transplant or participation in a clinical trial should be considered.

Hodgkin lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a B cell lymphoma characterized by few malignant cells and numerous immune effector cells in the tumour microenvironment. The incidence of HL is highest in adolescents and young adults, although HL can affect elderly individuals. Diagnosis is based on histological and immunohistochemical analyses of tissue from a lymph node biopsy; the tissue morphology and antigen expression profile enable classification into one of the four types of classic HL (nodular sclerosis, mixed cellularity, lymphocyte-depleted or lymphocyte-rich HL), which account for the majority of cases, or nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL. Although uncommon, HL remains a crucial test case for progress in cancer treatment. HL was among the first systemic neoplasms shown to be curable with radiation therapy and multiagent chemotherapy. The goal of multimodality therapy is to minimize lifelong residual treatment-associated toxicity while maintaining high levels of effectiveness. Recurrent or refractory disease can be effectively treated or cured with high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and prospective trials have demonstrated the potency of immunotherapeutic approaches with antibody-drug conjugates and immune checkpoint inhibitors. This Primer explores the wealth of information that has been assembled to understand HL; these updated observations verify that HL investigation and treatment remain at the leading edge of oncological research.

First-line treatment in older patients with Hodgkin lymphoma: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare population-based study

While Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is highly curable in younger patients, older patients have higher relapse and death rates, which may reflect age-related factors, distinct disease biology and/or treatment decisions. We described the association between patient, disease and geographic factors and first-line treatment in older patients (≥65 years) with incident HL using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data from 1999 to 2014 (n = 2825). First-line treatment initiated at ≤4 months after diagnosis was categorised as: full chemotherapy regimen (n = 699, 24·7%); partial chemotherapy regimen (n = 1016, 36·0%); single chemotherapy agent or radiotherapy (n = 382, 13·5%); and no treatment (n = 728, 25·8%). Among the fully treated, ABVD [doxorubicin (Adriamycin), bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine]/AVD was most common (n = 635, 90·8%). Adjusted multinomial logistic regression identified factors associated with treatment. Older age, Medicaid dual eligibility, not married, frailty, cardiac comorbidity, prior cancer, earlier diagnosis date, histology, advanced disease Stage, B symptoms and South region were independently associated with increased odds of not receiving full chemotherapy regimens. In conclusion, we found variability in first-line HL treatment for older patients. Treatment differences by Medicaid and region may indicate disparities. Even after adjusting for frailty and cardiac comorbidity, age was associated with treatment, suggesting factors such as end-of-life care or shared decision-making may influence treatment in older patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid global response for children with cancer from SIOP, COG, SIOP-E, SIOP-PODC, IPSO, PROS, CCI, and St Jude Global

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most serious global challenges to delivering affordable and equitable treatment to children with cancer we have witnessed in the last few decades. This Special Report aims to summarize general principles for continuing multidisciplinary care during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. With contributions from the leadership of the International Society for Pediatric Oncology (SIOP), Children's Oncology Group (COG), St Jude Global program, and Childhood Cancer International, we have sought to provide a framework for healthcare teams caring for children with cancer during the pandemic. We anticipate the burden will fall particularly heavily on children, their families, and cancer services in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, we have brought together the relevant clinical leads from SIOP Europe, COG, and SIOP-PODC (Pediatric Oncology in Developing Countries) to focus on the six most curable cancers that are part of the WHO Global Initiative in Childhood Cancer. We provide some practical advice for adapting diagnostic and treatment protocols for children with cancer during the pandemic, the measures taken to contain it (e.g., extreme social distancing), and how to prepare for the anticipated recovery period.

Treatment of Hodgkin Lymphoma With ABVD Chemotherapy in Rural Rwanda: A Model for Cancer Care Delivery Implementation

PURPOSE

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is highly curable in high-income countries (HICs), yet many patients around the world do not have access to therapy. In 2012, cancer care was established at a rural district hospital in Rwanda through international collaboration, and a treatment protocol using doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) without radiotherapy was implemented.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all patients with confirmed HL seen at Butaro Hospital from 2012 to 2018 to evaluate quality indicators and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Eighty-five patients were included (median age, 16.8 years; interquartile range, 11.0-30.5 years). Ten (12%) were HIV positive. Most had B symptoms (70%) and advanced stage (56%) on examination and limited imaging. Of 21 specimens evaluated for Epstein-Barr virus, 14 (67%) were positive. Median time from biopsy to treatment was 6.0 weeks. Of 73 patients who started ABVD, 54 (74%) completed 6 cycles; the leading reasons for discontinuation were treatment abandonment and death. Median dose intensity of ABVD was 92%. Of 77 evaluable patients, 33 (43%) are in clinical remission, 27 (36%) are deceased, and 17 (22%) were lost to follow-up; 3-year survival estimate is 63% (95% CI, 50% to 74%). Poorer performance status, advanced stage, B symptoms, anemia, dose intensity < 85%, and treatment discontinuation were associated with worse survival.

CONCLUSION

Treating HL with standard chemotherapy in a low-resource setting is feasible. Most patients who completed treatment experienced a clinically significant remission with this approach. Late presentation, treatment abandonment, and loss to follow-up contribute to the discrepancy in survival compared with HICs. A strikingly younger age distribution in our cohort compared with HICs suggests biologic differences and warrants further investigation.

Update on Hodgkin lymphoma from a radiologist's perspective

Recent advances in the management of Hodgkin lymphoma, due to new staging and response assessment systems as well as new therapies, have redefined the role of imaging for this disease. The purpose of this article is to provide radiologists with an update on the current role of imaging in Hodgkin lymphoma from diagnosis to assessment of treatment response, in view of the new staging and response assessment system and current treatment strategies.

How to manage lymphoid malignancies during novel 2019 coronavirus (CoVid-19) outbreak: a Brazilian task force recommendation

The novel Coronavirus (CoVid-19) outbreak is now consider a world pandemic, affecting more than 1,300,000 people worldwide. Cancer patients are in risk for severe disease, including a higher risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, need for invasive ventilation or death. Management of patients with lymphoid malignancies can be challenging during the outbreak, due to need of multiple hospital visits and admissions, immunosuppression and need for chemotherapy, radiotherapy and stem cell transplantation. In this article, we will focus on the practical management of patients with lymphoid malignancies during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on minimizing the risk for patients.

Long-Term Outcomes in 10-Year Survivors of Early-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma

PURPOSE

Although radiation therapy improves progression-free survival in early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), substantial concerns remain regarding the impact of delayed normal tissue effects on quality of life and survival. We hypothesized that treatment with combined-modality therapy (CMT; chemotherapy and radiation therapy) improves overall survival among 10-year survivors compared with treatment with radiation therapy or chemotherapy alone.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We compared patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database who received a diagnosis of stage I/II HL between 1983 and 2006 who received chemotherapy and/or external beam radiation and survived at least 10 years. Our primary study outcome was overall survival; we also analyzed cause-specific and other-cause-specific survival.

RESULTS

Of 10,443 ten-year survivors of stage I/II classical HL, 33.6% received chemotherapy alone, 23.8% radiation therapy alone, and 42.6% CMT. Median follow-up was 16.1 years. On multivariate analysis including race, stage, sex, age, and "modern" treatment in 1995 and later, 10-year survivors who received CMT had improved overall survival relative to survivors who received RT alone (hazard ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-1.64; P < .01) or chemotherapy alone (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.57; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

This survival difference was driven by an increase in death from both HL and non-HL causes in those treated with chemotherapy alone. Our analysis suggests that CMT offers optimal survivorship for patients with stage I/II HL.

Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL) expert consensus on the use of intensity-modulated and image-guided radiotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma involving the mediastinum

Aim

Advances in therapy have resulted in improved cure rates and an increasing number of long-term Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) survivors. However, radiotherapy (RT)-related late effects are still a significant issue, particularly for younger patients with mediastinal disease (secondary cancers, heart diseases). In many Centers, technological evolution has substantially changed RT planning and delivery. This consensus document aims to analyze the current knowledge of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) for mediastinal HL and formulate practical recommendations based on scientific evidence and expert opinions.

Methods

A dedicated working group was set up within the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL) Radiotherapy Committee in May 2018. After a first meeting, the group adopted a dedicated platform to share retrieved articles and other material. Two group coordinators redacted a first document draft, that was further discussed and finalized in two subsequent meetings. Topics of interest were: 1) Published data comparing 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and IMRT 2) dose objectives for the organs at risk 3) IGRT protocols and motion management.

Results

Data review showed that IMRT might allow for an essential reduction in the high-dose regions for all different thoracic OAR. As very few studies included specific dose constraints for lungs and breasts, the low-dose component for these OAR resulted slightly higher with IMRT vs. 3D-CRT, depending on the technique used. We propose a set of dose objectives for the heart, breasts, lungs, and thyroid. The use of IGRT is advised for margin reduction without specific indications, such as the use of breath-holding techniques. An individual approach, including comparative planning and considering different risk factors for late morbidity, is recommended for each patient.

Conclusions

As HL therapy continues to evolve, with an emphasis on treatment reduction, radiation oncologists should use at best all the available tools to minimize the dose to organs at risk and optimize treatment plans. This document provides indications on the use of IMRT/IGRT based on expert consensus, providing a basis for clinical implementation and future development.

Resources-Stratified Guidelines for Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma is a haematological malignancy predominantly affecting young adults. Hodgkin lymphoma is a highly curable disease by current treatment standards. Latest treatment guidelines for Hodgkin lymphoma however imply access to diagnostic and treatment modalities that may not be available in settings with restricted healthcare resources. Considerable discrepancies in Hodgkin lymphoma patient survival exist, with poorer outcomes reported in resources-constrained settings. Resources-stratified guidelines for diagnosis, staging and treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma were derived in an effort to optimize patient outcome provided a given setting of available resources. These guidelines were derived based on the framework of the Breast Health Global Initiative stratifying resource levels in basic, core, advanced and maximal categories.

Treatment specific toxicities: Hormones, antihormones, radiation therapy

Session IV of the Second International Colloquium on Cardio-Oncology held in Kraków, focused on the cardiovascular risks of using hormone replacement therapy in breast cancer and androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer and continued the theme from Session 3 with a discussion of risk reduction strategies. The discussion then moved to an overview of modern radiation therapy and evolving mechanisms of cardioprotection. The risks and late cardiotoxic effects that must be considered in patients treated prior to the "modern era" were enumerated stressing the importance of long term follow-up of this population.

Survival outcomes in patients with gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas treated with perioperative chemotherapy with or without preoperative radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Perioperative chemotherapy (POC) is one standard approach for the treatment of resectable cancers of the stomach and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), whereas there has been growing interest in preoperative therapies. The objective of the current study was to compare survival between patients treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy (PCRT) with those receiving POC using a large database.

METHODS

The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2013 with American Joint Committee on Cancer clinical group stage IB to stage IIIC (excluding T2N0 disease) adenocarcinoma of the stomach or GEJ. Patients treated with definitive surgery and POC with or without preoperative radiotherapy of 41 to 54 Gy were included. Overall survival (OS) was defined from the date of definitive surgery and estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A total of 14 patient and treatment variables were used for propensity score matching (PSM).

RESULTS

A total of 1048 patients were analyzed: 53.2% received POC and 46.8% received PCRT. The primary tumor site was the GEJ in 69.1% of patients and stomach in 30.9% of patients. The median age of the patients was 60 years, and the median follow-up was 25.8 months. The use of PCRT was associated with a greater pathologic complete response rate of 13.1% versus 8.2% (P = .01). POC was associated with a decreased risk of death in unmatched groups (hazard ratio [HR], 0.83; P = .043). Using PSM cohorts, POC decreased the risk of death with a median OS of 45.1 months versus 31.4 months (HR, 0.70; P = .016). The 2-year OS rate was 72.9% versus 62.5% and the 5-year OS rate was 40.7% versus 33.1% for POC versus PCRT, respectively. Survival favored POC in PSM gastric (HR, 0.41; P = .07) and GEJ (HR, 0.77; P = .08) patient subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of preoperative radiotherapy to POC appears to be associated with an increased risk of death in patients with resectable gastric and GEJ cancers.

Clinical features and treatment outcomes of Hodgkin lymphoma: A retrospective review in a Malaysian tertiary hospital

BACKGROUND

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is a clinicopathologically unique, aggressive lymphoma arising from germinal center B-cells and is one of the most curable hematological malignancies. This study aimed to determine the clinical course, treatment regimens, response rates, and survival data of patients diagnosed with cHL in a tertiary center.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted to include patients with a diagnosis of cHL from 2013 to 2017. Data of demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment regimens, and outcomes were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

We recruited 94 patients with a median age of 27.0 [interquartile range (IQR), 12] years. Most of the patients were male (61.7%) and 73.4% were ethnic Malay. Nodular sclerosis was the most common histology (77.6%), followed by mixed cellularity (6.4%) and others (16%). The median follow-up time was 28.0 (IQR, 32) months. All patients received chemotherapy but only 13.8% received radiotherapy as consolidation. The doxorubicin-bleomycin-vinblastine-dacarbazine regimen was the most common (85.1%), followed by the escalated bleomycin-etoposide-doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide-vincristineprednisolone-procarbazine regimen (14.9%). Following treatment, 76.1% of patients achieved complete response. The 2-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the entire cohort were 96.5% and 71.1%, respectively. The 2-year OS and PFS for advanced-stage disease were 93.9% and 62.8%, compared to 100% and 82.7% for early-stage disease, respectively (P=0.252 and P=0.052, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This study provides insight into the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes among patients with cHL in Malaysia. A longer study duration is required to identify OS and PFS benefits and treatment-related complications for different chemotherapeutic regimens.

Limited-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma: Minimizing Toxicity

Early-stage classic Hodgkin lymphoma has been highly curable using extended-field radiation therapy (RT) alone, combined-modality therapy consisting of chemotherapy and RT, and more recently chemotherapy alone. Radiation therapy either to an extended field (extended-field RT) or to various iterations of an involved field (involved-field RT) is potentially associated with late morbidity and mortality, particularly second primary cancers and cardiovascular complications. Treatment with chemotherapy alone, when possible, can achieve a high cure rate while avoiding these risks. This review describes the evolution of treatment for early-stage classic Hodgkin lymphoma.

Positron Emission Tomography Score Has Greater Prognostic Significance Than Pretreatment Risk Stratification in Early-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma in the UK RAPID Study

PURPOSE

Accurate stratification of patients is an important goal in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), but the role of pretreatment clinical risk stratification in the context of positron emission tomography (PET) -adapted treatment is unclear. We performed a subsidiary analysis of the RAPID trial to assess the prognostic value of pretreatment risk factors and PET score in determining outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with stage IA to IIA HL and no mediastinal bulk underwent PET assessment after three cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine; 143 PET-positive patients (PET score, 3 to 5) received a fourth doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine cycle and involved-field radiotherapy, and 419 patients in complete metabolic remission were randomly assigned to receive involved-field radiotherapy (n = 208) or no additional treatment (n = 211). Cox regression was used to investigate the association between PET score and pretreatment risk factors with HL-specific event-free survival (EFS).

RESULTS

High PET score was associated with inferior EFS, before (P < .001) and after adjustment (P = .01) for baseline risk stratification. Only patients with a postchemotherapy PET score of 5 (uptake ≥ three times maximum liver uptake) had an increased risk of progression or HL-related death (hazard ratio, 9.4 v score of 3; 95% CI, 2.8 to 31.3 and hazard ratio, 6.7 v score of 4; 95% CI, 1.4 to 31.7). Patients with a PET score of 5 also had inferior progression-free and overall survival. There was no association between European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer or German Hodgkin Study Group risk group and EFS, before or after adjusting for PET score (all P > .4).

CONCLUSION

In RAPID, a positive PET scan did not carry uniform prognostic weight; only a PET score of 5 was associated with inferior outcomes. This suggests that in future trials involving patients without B symptoms or mediastinal bulk, a score of 5 rather than a positive PET result should be used to guide treatment escalation in early-stage HL.

Brentuximab vedotin, doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine for nonbulky limited-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) with or without radiation is standard therapy for limited-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) but carries risks of bleomycin-induced lung injury and radiation toxicity. Brentuximab vedotin is highly active in relapsed HL and was recently approved with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD) for previously untreated stage III/IV HL. We evaluated brentuximab-AVD for nonbulky stage I/II HL in a multicenter phase 2 study. Patients received a lead-in cycle of brentuximab vedotin monotherapy on days 1 and 15, followed by an exploratory positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan. Patients then received brentuximab-AVD for 4 to 6 cycles based on interim positron emission tomography/computed tomography scanning after cycle 2. Thirty-four patients were enrolled with a median age of 36 years (range, 20-75 years). Risk was early favorable in 62% and unfavorable in 38%. The best complete response rate was 100%. At a median follow-up of 38 months, the progression-free survival and overall survival were 94% and 97%, respectively. The most common adverse events were peripheral sensory neuropathy (79%), neutropenia (76%), fatigue (74%), and nausea (71%). The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (62%), febrile neutropenia (35%), and peripheral sensory neuropathy (24%). One elderly patient died of neutropenic sepsis in the first brentuximab-AVD cycle. Brentuximab dose reductions were required in 38% of patients, most for peripheral neuropathy. In conclusion, brentuximab-AVD without bleomycin or radiation produced a high complete response rate, with most patients requiring only 4 total cycles of therapy. Because toxicity was higher than would be expected from AVD alone, this method may not be appropriate for early-stage patients with a highly favorable prognosis. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01534078.

Nivolumab for Newly Diagnosed Advanced-Stage Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma: Safety and Efficacy in the Phase II CheckMate 205 Study

PURPOSE

Nivolumab, an anti-programmed death-1 monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated frequent and durable responses in relapsed/refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). We report results from Cohort D of the CheckMate 205 trial, which assessed nivolumab monotherapy followed by nivolumab plus doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (N-AVD) for newly diagnosed cHL.

METHODS

Patients 18 years of age or older with untreated, advanced-stage (defined as III to IV and IIB with unfavorable risk factors) cHL were eligible for Cohort D of this multicenter, noncomparative, phase II trial. Patients received nivolumab monotherapy for four doses, followed by 12 doses of N-AVD; all doses were every 2 weeks, and nivolumab was administered at 240 mg intravenously. The primary end point was safety. Efficacy end points included objective response rate and modified progression-free survival, defined as time to disease progression/relapse, death, or next therapy. Chromosome 9p24.1 alterations and programmed death-ligand 1 expression were assessed in Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells in evaluable patients.

RESULTS

A total of 51 patients were enrolled and treated. At diagnosis, 49% of patients had an International Prognostic Score of 3 or greater. Overall, 59% experienced a grade 3 to 4 treatment-related adverse event. Treatment-related febrile neutropenia was reported in 10% of patients. Endocrine immune-mediated adverse events were all grade 1 to 2 and did not require high-dose corticosteroids; all nonendocrine immune-mediated adverse events resolved (most commonly, rash; 5.9%). At the end of therapy, the objective response rate (95% CI) per independent radiology review committee was 84% (71% to 93%), with 67% (52% to 79%), achieving complete remission (five patients [10%] were nonevaluable and counted as nonresponders). With a minimum follow-up of 9.4 months, 9-month modified progression-free survival was 92%. Patients with higher-level Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg programmed death-ligand 1 expression had more favorable responses to N-AVD (P = .041).

CONCLUSION

Nivolumab followed by N-AVD was associated with promising efficacy and safety profiles for newly diagnosed, advanced-stage cHL.

Radiation-Associated Cardiac Disease: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Radiation-associated cardiac disease (RACD) is an increasingly recognized latent manifestation of chest and mediastinal radiation therapy. The delayed presentation reflects increased survival rates from malignancies successfully treated decades previously. However, individuals are now presenting with multiple coexistent manifestations of RACD and pulmonary disease as a consequence of high-dose radiation administered prior to the routine institution of modern dose-modulating regimens. Increased awareness of RACD is critical for implementation of appropriate screening algorithms and for specific management strategies involving the timing and strategies of intervention in these patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent advances in multimodality cardiac imaging have demonstrated pathognomonic findings of RACD, which can predict outcomes including mortality. Accurate diagnosis of these typically concurrent manifestations is critical and should prompt referral to a center experienced in managing RACD as surgical risk is significantly increased for this patient cohort, particularly for those undergoing redo operation. The latent effect of RACD and its unique combination of manifestations means that these patients will increasingly present with challenging management issues, resulting in increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Timing of treatment intervention must be carefully considered, although percutaneous options may provide alternative future strategies for this higher risk cohort.

Prognostic value of lymphocyte-monocyte ratio at diagnosis in Hodgkin lymphoma: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Prognoses of most adult Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients are excellent; most of them can achieve permanent remission that can be considered cured. However, many are under-treated or over-treated by standard modern therapies. An accurate determination of prognosis may allow clinicians to design personalised treatment according to individual risk of disease progression and survival. Lymphocyte monocyte ratio (LMR) at diagnosis has been investigated as a prognostic biomarker in patients with HL. Our objective with this meta-analysis was to explore the prognostic value of the LMR at diagnosis in adult HL, by investigating the association between LMR and survival outcomes.

METHODS

PUBMED and EMBASE were searched for relevant articles. Survival outcomes that we investigated included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), event-free survival (EFS), lymphoma-specific survival (LSS), and time to progression (TTP). No restriction to the language, date, study country, or sample size was applied. Final search of databases was performed on 2 April 2018. We performed random-effects meta-analysis to aggregate and summarise the results from included studies, where four or more studies on a particular outcome were available.

RESULTS

A total of eight studies (all retrospective cohort studies) involving 3319 HL patients were selected for analysis. All studies except one reported the effect of LMR on OS; five reported on PFS, three reported on TTP and LSS, respectively, and one reported on EFS. The pooled estimates showed low LMR was associated with poor OS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.67, 95% CI 1.67, 4.26) and PFS (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.46, 3.29). Subgroup analyses of OS stratified by LMR cut-off values and sample sizes both indicated that low baseline LMR was associated with poorer prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Low LMR at diagnosis was associated with poor OS and PFS in HL. LMR is easy and cheap to determine and has a potential role in daily clinical management. More studies are needed to validate this biomarker and explore its interaction with known prognostic factors.

Controversies in the Approach to Initial Therapy of Hodgkin Lymphoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Availability of highly effective novel agents has altered the approach to initial therapy in patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). We will review controversies in the following areas: (1) the role of radiation in early unfavorable disease and the optimal treatment strategies for (2) advanced-stage disease and (3) elderly patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Strategies incorporating brentuximab vedotin into frontline treatment of cHL yielded favorable results in non-randomized elderly studies and were compared to ABVD in advanced disease among adults. Meanwhile, four cycles of escalated BEACOPP yielded unprecedented favorable results for the treatment of advanced disease in the German Hodgkin Study Group 18 study. The addition of novel agents to conventional treatment strategies has the potential to improve outcomes in high-risk groups of patients while reducing toxicity. The role of radiation therapy remains in question but may see diminished use with the incorporation of more effective agents in the frontline setting.

Heart valve injury due to radiation therapy

RELEVANCE

Radiation therapy (RT) plays an important role in oncology, improving the immediate and long-term results of treatment of a number of tumors. One of the most significant complications of RT are lesions of the heart valves.

OBJECTIVE

To study the variants of valve damage that occur in patients who received radiation therapy for cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A group of patients who, during the period from 1978 to 2002, underwent chemo-radiation therapy (CRT) for Hodgkin's lymphoma (LH) of 2-4 stages with damage to the intrathoracic lymph nodes: 71 patients, 60 of whom did not go to the cardiologist and were invited to be examined, 11 were hospitalized due to clinically significant cardiovascular pathology (CHF, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, valvular defect, AV block). The study methods included: standard clinical and laboratory examination, spirometry, 24‑hour ECG monitoring, echocardiography, in some patients single-photon myocardial emission tomoscintigraphy (SPECT), and CT scan of the chest organs. In 60 patients, a stress test on an ECG-controlled treadmill was performed, in 18 patients - a maximum stress test on a treadmill with a gas analysis - ergospirometry.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Valve pathology was detected in 49.3 % of cases, most often (in 46.5 %) mitral regurgitation (MR) occurred, primarily due to MR of the 1 st degree, which had no clinical significance. Pathology of the aortic valve (12.7 % of patients) was represented mainly by mild regurgitation (11.3 %). Aortic stenosis was diagnosed in 4.2 % of patients. In the studied cohort of patients, predominantly non-severe valve lesions were detected. In addition, examples of patients with clinically significant valve valvular lesions are presented.

Therapeutic recommendations for early stage Hodgkin lymphomas

Combined modality treatment has been the standard option for the treatment of early stage Hodgkin lymphoma for several decades. Because of the high success rate and the risk of late toxicities, recent clinical trials have focused on reducing the treatment burden. Field and dose of radiotherapy, and number of cycles of chemotherapy have been successfully reduced, particularly for favourable early stage patients. However, the impact of these treatment reductions on the rate of secondary malignancies remains still unclear. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scanning has emerged as a very important tool for disease staging and end of treatment assessment. Interestingly, a PET performed after 2 cycles of ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) has been correlated with final outcome and was recently evaluated in a randomized clinical trial to evaluate individualized therapy based on PET response after 2 or 3 cycles of ABVD. These trials aimed to identify good prognosis (early PET-negative) patients who could be spared radiotherapy, but also patients with a bad prognosis (early PET-positive) who need more intensive treatment. More recently, new drugs, such as brentuximab vedotin and checkpoint inhibitors, have shown efficacy in relapsed/refractory patients and are currently under evaluation in early stage patients.

Current considerations in AYA Hodgkin lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) commonly occurs in adolescents and young adults (AYA), defined by the National Cancer Institute as people diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15 and 39 years. Despite therapeutic advances, the AYA population has derived less incremental benefit compared to both paediatric and adult counterparts. Although the exact aetiology is unclear, contributing factors probably include differences in disease biology, delayed diagnosis, decreased participation in clinical trials and treatment adherence secondary to complex social factors. As such, while HL remains highly curable, there is not a clear consensus regarding the management of patients within this age range, specifically whether paediatric or adult regimens are preferred or how best to incorporate emerging therapeutic advancements. Ongoing clinical trials, as well as continued collaborative efforts are required to address the needs of this population, investigate the potential for unique biological factors and allow for optimization of treatment. Here we review current prognostic and treatment strategies for paediatric and adult patients with HL and highlight complexities around the management of this patient population.

Cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab versus brentuximab vedotin for patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma: a United States payer perspective

AIMS

Patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) who have relapsed after or are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) have limited treatment options and generally a poor prognosis. Pembrolizumab was recently approved in the US for the treatment of such patients having demonstrated clinical benefit and tolerability in relapsed/refractory cHL; however, the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab in this population is currently unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A three-state Markov model (progression-free [PF], progressed disease, and death) was developed to assess the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab (200 mg) vs brentuximab vedotin (BV; 1.8 mg/kg) in patients with relapsed/refractory cHL after ASCT who have not received BV post-ASCT over a 20-year time horizon from a US payer perspective. PF survival was modeled using a naïve indirect treatment comparison of data from KEYNOTE-087 and the SG035-003 trial. Post-progression survival was modeled using data from published literature. Costs (drug acquisition and administration, disease management, subsequent treatment, and adverse events) and outcomes were discounted at an annual rate of 3.0%. Uncertainty surrounding cost-effectiveness was assessed via probabilistic, deterministic, and scenario analyses.

RESULTS

In the base case, pembrolizumab was predicted to yield an additional 0.574 life-years (LYs) and 0.500 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) vs BV and cost savings of $63,278. Drug acquisition costs were the biggest driver of incremental costs between strategies. Pembrolizumab had a 99.6% probability of being cost-effective compared with BV at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $20,000/QALY and dominated BV in all scenarios tested.

LIMITATIONS

The analysis was subject to potential bias due to the use of a naïve indirect treatment comparison and, given the current immaturity of OS in KEYNOTE-087, PPS was assumed equivalent across both treatments.

CONCLUSION

Pembrolizumab is a cost-effective alternative to BV for patients with relapsed/refractory cHL after ASCT.

Beyond maximum grade: modernising the assessment and reporting of adverse events in haematological malignancies

Tremendous progress in treatment and outcomes has been achieved across the whole range of haematological malignancies in the past two decades. Although cure rates for aggressive malignancies have increased, nowhere has progress been more impactful than in the management of typically incurable forms of haematological cancer. Population-based data have shown that 5-year survival for patients with chronic myelogenous and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, indolent B-cell lymphomas, and multiple myeloma has improved markedly. This improvement is a result of substantial changes in disease management strategies in these malignancies. Several haematological malignancies are now chronic diseases that are treated with continuously administered therapies that have unique side-effects over time. In this Commission, an international panel of clinicians, clinical investigators, methodologists, regulators, and patient advocates representing a broad range of academic and clinical cancer expertise examine adverse events in haematological malignancies. The issues pertaining to assessment of adverse events examined here are relevant to a range of malignancies and have been, to date, underexplored in the context of haematology. The aim of this Commission is to improve toxicity assessment in clinical trials in haematological malignancies by critically examining the current process of adverse event assessment, highlighting the need to incorporate patient-reported outcomes, addressing issues unique to stem-cell transplantation and survivorship, appraising challenges in regulatory approval, and evaluating toxicity in real-world patients. We have identified a range of priority issues in these areas and defined potential solutions to challenges associated with adverse event assessment in the current treatment landscape of haematological malignancies.

Patient-reported distress in Hodgkin lymphoma across the survivorship continuum

Purpose

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors face long-term, elevated risk of treatment-related sequelae, including psychosocial distress associated with poor health outcomes. The magnitude and sources of distress are not well described in the routine care of HL outside of clinical trials.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients visiting a tertiary-care center for treatment or long-term follow-up of HL. Patient-reported distress was documented using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer (DT) and Problem List. Three survivor groups were compared using descriptive methods: on treatment, surviving < 5 years, and surviving ≥ 5 years since diagnosis.

Results

A total of 1524 DT were abstracted for 304 patients (106 on treatment, 77 surviving < 5 years, and 121 surviving ≥ 5 years). Distress was low overall (median DT = 1, inter-quartile range 0–4) and was similar across survivor groups. However, actionable distress (score ≥ 4) was reported at 29.5% of clinical encounters. Patients on treatment more frequently reported actionable distress (32.5% of visits) compared with patients surviving < 5 years (20.4%) and ≥ 5 years (28.7%) (P = 0.065). Distress was associated primarily with physical and emotional problems, especially fatigue, worry, and sleep. We did not observe any associations between distress and clinical prognostic factors.

Conclusions

Distress burden is low in HL, but survivorship is marked by periods of actionable distress, largely related to physical symptoms and emotional issues. This burden may be higher when on treatment and is unrelated to disease-related prognostic factors. Survivorship research typically focuses on the post-therapy period, but our results support testing the efficacy of interventions to address distress in HL during active treatment as well.

Use of flow cytometry in the phenotypic diagnosis of hodgkin's lymphoma

Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) has a unique immunophenotype derived from immunohistochemistry (positive for CD15, CD30, and Pax-5; negative for CD3, CD20 in most cases, and CD45). The knowledge gained over recent years enables better diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of HL. Flow cytometry as a tool for the diagnosis of classic HL has not been useful in the past due to the difficulty in isolating Reed-Sternberg cells as they are admixed in a rich inflammatory background which consists mainly of T cells, B cells, eosinophils, histiocytes, and plasma cells. However, in the recent past, several studies have tried to identify Reed-Sternberg cells using flow cytometry on fine needle aspiration or tissue biopsy of lymph nodes to confirm or supplement immunohistochemistry staining in diagnosis. Newer and more sensitive tools such as flow cytometry can be used for diagnosis, technology that may have been difficult in the past for diagnosis of this lymphoma subtype. Using flow cytometry, diagnosis is faster and could lead to point-of-care technology especially where we have typical immunophenotype signatures. © 2018 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

Medical Cannabis Use by Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients: Experience of a Single Center

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is one of the most curable malignancies. Despite its effectiveness, chemotherapy is often associated with adverse events (AEs) such as nausea, anorexia, and impairment of general well-being. Our objective was to assess the extent of medical cannabis use among HL patients and evaluate its efficacy in controlling chemotherapy-related AEs. Patterns of medical cannabis use and efficacy were evaluated using physician-completed application forms, medical files, and patient-completed questionnaires, for all consecutive adult HL patients treated at the Tel-Aviv Medical Center between June 2010 and November 2016. One-hundred and thirty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age of the cohort was 37 years, 53% were male, 46% were diagnosed at an early stage, and 88% achieved a complete response to treatment. Fifty-one patients (38%) used medical cannabis. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between cannabis users and nonusers. Cannabis users reported improvement in pain, general well-being, appetite, and nausea in 94, 87, 82, and 79% of cases, respectively. Importantly, 81.5% reported a high overall efficacy of cannabis in relieving symptoms. AEs related to cannabis use itself were mild. Thus, medical cannabis use is prevalent in this HL cohort, and appears to be effective in ameliorating chemotherapy-related AEs.

Controversies in the Treatment of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a B-cell-derived malignancy that mostly affects young adults. Pathologically, HL is divided into classical HL (cHL) and the rare entity of nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL. Classical HL is characterized by few malignant cells termed Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg cells embedded in an inflammatory background. The treatment of cHL has consistently improved over the last decades so that current standard approaches result in long-term remission rates in excess of 80%. However, potentially lethal therapy-related late complications affect an increasing number of survivors. For this reason, issues regarding the optimal treatment of cHL patients are still fiercely debated. Questions under discussion include how treatment can be guided by interim positron emission tomography, the best initial treatment for advanced-stage disease and the use of targeted drugs such as the antibody–drug conjugate brentuximab vedotin and the anti-PD-1 antibodies nivolumab and pembrolizumab. The identification of patients who should undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation is another unsolved issue. The present article highlights the most relevant clinical trials and addresses controversial open questions in the treatment of cHL.

MGCD0103 induces apoptosis and simultaneously increases the expression of NF-κB and PD-L1 in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma

At present there is no consensus on the treatment of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (CHL) following relapse. The aim of the present study was to access the class I-selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (HDACI) MGCD0103 on the expression levels of Bcl-2, nuclear factor (NF)-κB and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in CHL, to explore the possible therapeutic value of MGCD0103 in combined relative target drugs for patients with CHL. In L1236 and L428 cell lines, apoptosis and cell cycle stage were identified using flow cytometry, and the effects of HDACI on CHL were assessed in terms of Bcl-2, NF-κB and PD-L1 expression levels, which were detected by western blotting and co-focusing experiments. The results demonstrated that MGCD0103 could induce cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, down-regulate Bcl-2 and increase NF-κB and PD-L1 expression levels in L1236 and L428 cell lines. MGCD0103 decreases Bcl-2 levels and upregulates PD-L1, which indicates that the combined use of HDACIs and a PD-L1 inhibitor in theory may improve treatment outcomes in patients with CHL. MGCD0103 may also up-regulate NF-κB, which seems to induce resistance towards anti-apoptotic drugs. Clinical trials combining HDACIs with NF-κB and/or PD-L1 inhibitors should be designed to further improve treatment outcomes for patients with CHL.

CALGB 50604: risk-adapted treatment of nonbulky early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma based on interim PET

A negative interim positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) after 1 to 3 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) in patients with newly diagnosed, nonbulky stage I or II Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) predicts a low relapse rate. This phase 2 trial was designed to determine if a population of patients with early-stage disease can be treated with short-course ABVD without radiation therapy (RT) on the basis of a negative interim PET/CT, thereby limiting the risks of treatment. Between 15 May 2010 and 21 February 2013, 164 previously untreated patients with nonbulky stage I/II HL were enrolled, and 149 were included in the final analysis. Patients received 2 cycles of ABVD followed by PET. Deauville scores 1 to 3 were negative (≤ liver uptake) based on central review. PET^- patients received 2 more cycles of ABVD, and PET⁺ patients received 2 cycles of dose-intense bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (escalated BEACOPP) plus 3060-cGy involved-field RT. The primary objective was to determine 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) for the PET^- group. One hundred thirty-five patients (91%) were interim PET^-, and 14 patients (9%) were PET⁺ With median follow-up time of 3.8 years, the estimated 3-year PFS was 91% for the PET^- group and 66% for the PET⁺ group (hazard ratio, 3.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.50-9.84; P = .011). There was 1 death as a result of suicide. Four cycles of ABVD resulted in durable remissions for a majority of patients with early-stage nonbulky HL and a negative interim PET. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01132807.

Outcome of Patients With Early-Stage Infradiaphragmatic Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Comprehensive Analysis From the German Hodgkin Study Group

Purpose The prognostic effect of isolated infradiaphragmatic involvement in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is controversial, and there are little data about patients treated with current therapies. Therefore, we performed a risk factor analysis to focus on isolated nodal infradiaphragmatic disease in patients treated within the German Hodgkin Study Group trials HD13 (clinical trial information: ISRCTN63474366) and HD14 (clinical trial information: ISRCTN04761296) for early-stage HL. Patients and Methods Characteristics and outcomes of patients who had infradiaphragmatic HL were compared with patients who had supradiaphragmatic disease. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated according to Kaplan-Meier methods and were compared between groups using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression, which was also applied for multivariable analyses that adjusted for relevant baseline characteristics. Results Of 2,903 qualified patients, 223 (7.7%) were diagnosed with isolated nodal infradiaphragmatic disease. In general, these patients were older, had a poorer performance status, were more often male, and had the nodular sclerosis subtype less often than those with supradiaphragmatic disease. After a median follow-up time of 51 months, PFS and OS were significantly worse in patients with infradiaphragmatic disease (5-year PFS and OS, 80.1% and 91.5% v 91.2% and 97.6% in patients with supradiaphragmatic disease; each P < .001). In multivariable analyses, infradiaphragmatic HL remained a significant risk factor in terms of PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.5; 95% CI, 1.04 to 2.2; P = .03) and OS (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2 to 3.5; P = .01). However, inferior PFS and OS could not be observed among those patients treated with the more intensive chemotherapy (two cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine [ABVD] in HD13, and two cycles of escalated bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone [BEACOPP_escalated] plus two cycles of ABVD in HD14; all patients received 30 Gy of involved-field radiotherapy). Conclusion Early-stage HL that presents with infradiaphragmatic disease only represents a distinct patient group with an inferior outcome. However, this adverse outcome can be outweighed by appropriate combined modality treatment.

Adolescent and young adult Hodgkin lymphoma: Raising the bar through collaborative science and multidisciplinary care

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is one of the most common cancers in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population (15-39 years). Despite continued improvements in HL outcomes, AYAs have not exhibited survival gains to the same extent as other age groups. At present, details about tumor biology, optimal therapeutic approaches, supportive care needs, and long-term toxicities in AYAs with HL remain understudied. Herein, we summarize the current state of the AYA population with HL, specifically focusing on how collaborations across the pediatric and medical oncology divide, coupled with multidisciplinary patient care, can further optimize outcomes for this group of patients.

The Role of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is a unique disease entity both in its pathology and the young patient population that it primarily affects. Although cure rates are high, survivorship can be linked with significant recent long-term morbidity associated with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The most significant advances have been with the use of the anti-CD30-drug conjugated antibody brentuximab vedotin (BV) and inhibitors of program death 1 (PD-1). HL is genetically wired to up-regulate program death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in >95% of cases, creating a state of so-called &ldquo;T cell exhaustion&rdquo;, which can be reversed with immune checkpoint-inhibitor blockade. The overall and complete response rates to PD-1 inhibitors in patients with relapsed or refractory HL are 70% and 20%, respectively, with a long median duration of response of ~16 months. In fact, PD-1 inhibitors can benefit a wide spectrum of relapsed HL patients, including some who have &ldquo;progressive disease&rdquo; by strict response criteria. We review the biology of HL, with a focus on the immune micro-environment and mechanisms of immune evasion. We also provide the rationale supporting the use of PD-1 inhibitors in HL and highlight some of the challenges of monitoring disease response in patients treated with this immunotherapy.

New Treatment Algorithms in Hodgkin Lymphoma: Too Much or Too Little?

Hodgkin lymphoma treatment continues to evolve as new means of assessing response to treatment, new appreciation of important risk factors, and more effective therapeutic agents become available. Treatment algorithms integrating functional imaging now provide the opportunity to modify therapy during its delivery, allowing adjustment of duration and intensity of chemotherapy and rationale identification of patients who may benefit from the addition of therapeutic irradiation. Novel agents, including the antibody drug conjugate brentuximab vedotin and checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab can improve the effectiveness of treatment while keeping toxicity within acceptable limits. Carefully designed clinical trials permit the identification of superior approaches in which efficacy is enhanced and toxicity minimized. Clinicians treating patients with Hodgkin lymphoma now have access to novel treatment approaches, which will require detailed assessment of each patient and careful discussion of the goals and risks of treatment at the time of planning primary treatment, again during delivery of that treatment as data indicating ongoing effectiveness become available, at the conclusion of initial intervention, and, when the need arises, at the time of recurrence of disease.

ABVD Without Radiation for Newly Diagnosed Pediatric and Young Adult Patients With Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis of 28 Consecutive Patients

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is the most common malignancy affecting adolescents and young adults. Treatment with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation results in cure rates of >90%. However, radiation therapy causes significant late effects and avoiding radiation entirely for patients who respond to chemotherapy is an accepted strategy. Since 2011, 28 consecutive patients diagnosed with classic HL have been treated with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) for 4 to 6 cycles. Patients who achieved a complete metabolic response (CMR) as assessed by [F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography by the end of chemotherapy did not receive radiation. Among the 27 evaluable patients, 26/27 (96.2%) achieved a CMR with ABVD alone with 24/27 (88.9%) having achieved a CMR after 2 cycles. Event-free survival at 5 years is 90.5% and overall survival is 100% with a median follow-up time of 22.4 and 22.1 months, respectively. Treating pediatric and young adult HL patients with ABVD alone results in CMRs in >95% of patients. Patients who were refractory to ABVD or relapsed after treatment eventually achieved remission with a combination of standard and novel salvage therapies. This regimen demonstrates the feasibility of avoiding upfront radiation in newly diagnosed pediatric HL patients.

Hodgkin lymphoma: 2018 update on diagnosis, risk-stratification, and management

DISEASE OVERVIEW

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is an uncommon B-cell lymphoid malignancy affecting 8500 new patients annually and representing approximately 10.2% of all lymphomas in the United States.

DIAGNOSIS

HL is composed of two distinct disease entities: classical HL and nodular lymphocyte predominant HL. Nodular sclerosis, mixed cellularity, lymphocyte depletion, and lymphocyte-rich HL are subgroups of classical HL.

RISK STRATIFICATION

An accurate assessment of the stage of disease in patients with HL is critical for the selection of the appropriate therapy. Prognostic models that identify patients at low or high risk for recurrence, as well as the response to therapy as determined by positron emission tomography scan, are used to optimize therapy.

RISK-ADAPTED THERAPY

Initial therapy for HL patients is based on the histology of the disease, the anatomical stage and the presence of poor prognostic features. Patients with early stage disease are typically treated with combined modality strategies utilizing abbreviated courses of combination chemotherapy followed by involved-field radiation therapy, while those with advanced stage disease receive a longer course of chemotherapy often without radiation therapy. Newer agents including brentuximab vedotin are now being incorporated into frontline therapy and these new combinations are becoming a standard of care.

MANAGEMENT OF RELAPSED/REFRACTORY DISEASE

High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) followed by an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) is the standard of care for most patients who relapse following initial therapy. For patients who fail HDCT with ASCT, brentuximab vedotin, PD-1 blockade, nonmyeloablative allogeneic transplant or participation in a clinical trial should be considered.