G-CSF is not necessary to maintain over 99% dose-intensity with ABVD in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma: low toxicity and excellent outcomes in a 10-year analysis

Modern treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The present review summarizes the current therapies and controversies in the management of newly diagnosed and relapsed classical and lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma and briefly describes novel agents in development for Hodgkin lymphoma.

RECENT FINDINGS

Early restaging fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography scans appear to provide important prognostic information, particularly in patients with advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma. A persistently positive scan after two cycles of chemotherapy appears to predict a very dismal outcome, whereas a negative interim scan predicts a very favorable outcome. This finding provides an opportunity to study the effect of tailoring therapy early in the course of disease, perhaps shortening therapy and avoiding radiotherapy in early stage patients with a negative interim scan and escalating therapy in those with positive scans. Recent retrospective studies show it is safe to administer the standard doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine chemotherapy regimen, prescribed for nearly all patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, at full dose, on schedule without growth factors, minimizing the risk of bleomycin lung toxicity and perhaps improving outcome. Several new drugs are showing promise for refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, including the immunotoxin SGN-35 and the histone deacetylase inhibitor MGCD0103. Rituximab is being studied for the treatment of both classical and lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma.

SUMMARY

Current trials employing risk-adapted therapy on the basis of interim fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography scans have the potential of improving outcomes for all patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, either by improving cure rates, minimizing toxicity, or both.

Prophylactic use of filgrastim with ABVD and BEACOPP chemotherapy regimens for Hodgkin lymphoma

ABVD (doxorubicin/bleomycin/vinblastine/dacarbazine) and BEACOPP (bleomycin/etoposide/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide/vincristine/procarbazine/prednisone) are the most widely used regimens for the treatment of patients with advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma. Both regimens are associated with significant neutropenia. Maintaining the planned dose intensity is considered an important goal to achieve when using curative therapy. Therefore, prophylactic use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is widely used to support these regimens and is mandatory to support BEACOPP-escalated and BEACOPP-14 to reduce toxicity and treatment delays. Recent retrospective studies are discussed which have reported using ABVD without G-CSF support. However, randomized studies are needed to clarify the role of primary prophylaxis with ABVD and BEACOPP-baseline regimens. Secondary prophylaxis should be considered in all patients, especially those who develop neutropenic fever.

Risk, Cure and Complications in Advanced Hodgkin Disease

Current therapy for Hodgkin disease is aimed at high cure rates and optimal survivorship. Although intensified chemotherapy with the escalated BEACOPP regimen resulted in higher rates of cure and survival compared with COPP/ABVD in the high-profile HD9 randomized controlled trial (RCT), this regimen has not been universally adopted by patients and physicians due to the attendant increased risks of early and late complications. Appropriately, questions emerge as to whether the results of this trial should be interpreted as establishing the superiority of BEACOPP over the current standard ABVD therapy, and whether clinical or biologic prognostic factors can better select patients for more intensive treatment. The widespread availability and high predictive accuracy of functional imaging with PET scans has led to promising, preliminary studies assessing early response to therapy with this diagnostic tool. In this review, the characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with ABVD in RCT will be made and compared with COPP/ABVD in HD9; clinical and biologic prognostic factors will be discussed, including PET imaging; and newer strategies targeted at minimizing treatment complications while maximizing cure rates will be discussed. Although enthusiasm for PET imaging is great, the challenges for using this diagnostic tool for risk-adapted therapies are substantial. Importantly, physicians and patients should be aware of these challenges, support the RCT that seek to address them, and carefully weigh risks and benefits for individual patients.