How I treat nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma

International Prognostic Score for Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma

PURPOSE

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare cancer, and large international cooperative efforts are needed to evaluate the significance of clinical risk factors and immunoarchitectural patterns (IAPs) for all stages of pediatric and adult patients with NLPHL.

METHODS

Thirty-eight institutions participated in the Global nLPHL One Working Group retrospective study of NLPHL cases from 1992 to 2021. We measured progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), transformation rate, and lymphoma-specific death rate. We performed uni- and multivariable (MVA) Cox regression stratified by management to select factors for the lymphocyte-predominant international prognostic score (LP-IPS) validated by five-fold cross-validation.

RESULTS

We identified 2,243 patients with a median age of 37 years (IQR, 23-51). The median follow-up was 6.3 years (IQR, 3.4-10.8). Most had stage I to II (72.9%) and few B symptoms (9.9%) or splenic involvement (5.4%). IAP was scored for 916 (40.8%). Frontline management included chemotherapy alone (32.4%), combined modality therapy (30.5%), radiotherapy alone (24.0%), observation after excision (4.6%), rituximab alone (4.0%), active surveillance (3.4%), and rituximab and radiotherapy (1.1%). The PFS, OS, transformation, and lymphoma-specific death rates at 10 years were 70.8%, 91.6%, 4.8%, and 3.3%, respectively. On MVA, IAPs were not associated with PFS or OS, but IAP E had higher risk of transformation (hazard ratio [HR], 1.81; P < .05). We developed the LP-IPS with 1 point each for age ≥45 years, stage III-IV, hemoglobin <10.5 g/dL, and splenic involvement. Increasing LP-IPS was significantly associated with worse PFS (HR, 1.52) and OS (HR, 2.31) and increased risk of lymphoma-specific death (HR, 2.63) and transformation (HR, 1.41).

CONCLUSION

In this comprehensive study of all ages of patients with NLPHL, we develop the LP-IPS to identify high-risk patients and inform upcoming prospective clinical trials evaluating de-escalation of therapy for patients with low LP-IPS scores (<2).

[Current Standards in the Treatment of Hodgkin Lymphoma]

This review discusses current trends in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma, focusing on optimizing therapy outcomes while minimizing toxicity. We summarize advances made by the incorporation of Brentuximab Vedotin into first line therapy for advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma. Similarly, the incorporation of checkpoint-inhibition into first-line therapy holds great promise and early results suggest superior efficacy with reduced toxicity. In relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, salvage chemotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation remains the standard approach. However, the remarkable efficacy of checkpoint inhibition in this setting has the potential to redefine treatment paradigms and obviate the need for HD-ASCT in select patients. Finally, we discuss the evolving landscape of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma and reclassification to nodular lymphocyte predominant B-cell lymphoma, with increasing recognition of its distinct characteristics and treatment strategies.

Molecular biomarkers in classic Hodgkin lymphoma

Classic Hodgkin lymphoma is a unique B-cell derived malignancy featuring rare malignant Hodgkin and Reed Sternberg (HRS) cells that are embedded in a quantitively dominant tumor microenvironment (TME). Treatment of classic Hodgkin lymphoma has significantly evolved in the past decade with improving treatment outcomes for newly diagnosed patients and the minority of patients suffering from disease progression. However, the burden of toxicity and treatment-related long-term sequelae remains high in a typically young patient population. This highlights the need for better molecular biomarkers aiding in risk-adapted treatment strategies and predicting response to an increasing number of available treatments that now prominently involve multiple immunotherapy options. Here, we review modern molecular biomarker approaches that reflect both the biology of the malignant HRS cells and cellular components in the TME, while holding the promise to improve diagnostic frameworks for clinical decision-making and be feasible in clinical trials and routine practice. In particular, technical advances in sequencing and analytic pipelines using liquid biopsies, as well as deep phenotypic characterization of tissue architecture at single-cell resolution, have emerged as the new frontier of biomarker development awaiting further validation and implementation in routine diagnostic procedures.

[Strategy of the French Society of Childhood Cancer (SFCE) for pediatric nodular lymphocyte predominant lymphoma]

Nodular Lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) are rare lymphomas in pediatric patients comprising less than 10 % of all Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). They are for the most part diagnosed at stage I or II and indolent with lymphadenopathy often preceding the diagnosis by many months/years. Survival is excellent. Historically, patients were treated according to classical HL protocols. Due to high toxicity and excellent prognosis, management of NLPHL shifted to de-escalation protocol with good results. No treatment beyond surgical resection was proposed for localized unique nodal disease completely resected. The closed European protocol (EuroNet PHL LP1) evaluated the efficacy of low intensity chemotherapy protocol based on CVP courses (cyclophosphamide vinblastine prednisone) for stage IA/IIA not fully resected. Final results are not yet available. Advanced stage NLPHL are rare and there is no clinical trial and no consensus treatment in children. The SFCE lymphoma committee recently established recommendations for staging and treatment of limited and advanced NLPHL in children based on current practices and published results. The goal was to allow homogeneous practice on a national scale. If incomplete resection for patients with stage I/IIA combination of low intensity chemotherapy (CVP) and rituximab is recommended. For intermediary and advanced stage intensification with AVD (adriamycine vinblastine dacarbazine) or CHOP courses (cyclophosphamide doxorubicine vincristine prednisone) combined with rituximab are advocated. In children, there is no indication for first-line local treatment with radiotherapy.

Interim PET-guided treatment for early-stage NLPHL: a subgroup analysis of the randomized GHSG HD16 and HD17 studies

The optimal first-line treatment for nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) diagnosed in early stages is largely undefined. We, therefore, analyzed 100 NLPHL patients treated in the randomized HD16 (early-stage favorable; n = 85) and HD17 (early-stage unfavorable; n = 15) studies. These studies investigated the omission of consolidation radiotherapy (RT) in patients with a negative interim positron emission tomography (iPET) (ie, Deauville score <3) after chemotherapy (HD16: 2× doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine [ABVD]; HD17: 2× escalated bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone [BEACOPP] plus 2× ABVD). Patients with NLPHL treated in the HD16 and HD17 studies had 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates of 90.3% and 92.9%, respectively. Thus, the 5-year PFS did not differ significantly from that of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma treated within the same studies (HD16: P = .88; HD17: P = .50). Patients with early-stage favorable NLPHL who had a negative iPET after 2× ABVD and did not undergo consolidation RT tended to have a worse 5-year PFS than patients with a negative iPET who received consolidation RT (83% vs 100%; P = .05). There were 10 cases of NLPHL recurrence. However, no NLPHL patient died during follow-up. Hence, the 5-year overall survival rate was 100%. Taken together, contemporary Hodgkin lymphoma-directed treatment approaches result in excellent outcomes for patients with newly diagnosed early-stage NLPHL and, thus, represent valid treatment options. In early-stage favorable NLPHL, consolidation RT appears necessary after 2× ABVD to achieve the optimal disease control irrespective of the iPET result.

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: current management strategies and evolving approaches to individualize treatment

INTRODUCTION

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare lymphoma entity accounting for roughly 5% of all Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cases. In contrast to classical HL, the malignant cells in NLPHL are positive for CD20 but lack CD30. The disease usually has an indolent clinical course resulting in high long-term survival rates.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, treatment options for NLPHL are summarized and factors that may help to individualize treatment are discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

Stage IA NLPHL without clinical risk factors should be treated with limited-field radiotherapy alone. In all other stages, NLPHL patients have excellent outcomes after standard HL approaches. The question of whether the addition of an anti-CD20 antibody to standard HL chemotherapy protocols or the use of approaches typically applied in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma improve treatment results is unanswered until now. Different management strategies ranging from low-intensity treatment to high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation have demonstrated activity in relapsed NLPHL. Second-line treatment is thus chosen individually. The major aim of NLPHL research is to spare toxicity and reduce the risk for treatment-related adverse events in low-risk patients while treating higher-risk patients with appropriate intensity. To this end, novel tools to guide treatment are required.

Genetic lesions and targeted therapy in Hodgkin lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma is a special type of lymphoma in which tumor cells frequently undergo multiple genetic lesions that are associated with accompanying pathway abnormalities. These pathway abnormalities are dominated by active signaling pathways, such as the JAK-STAT (Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription) pathway and the NFκB (nuclear factor kappa-B) pathway, which usually result in hyperactive survival signaling. Targeted therapies often play an important role in hematologic malignancies, such as CAR-T therapy (chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy) targeting CD19 and CD22 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, while in Hodgkin lymphoma, the main targets of targeted therapies are CD30 molecules and PD1 molecules. Drugs targeting other molecules are also under investigation. This review summarizes the actionable genetic lesions, current treatment options, clinical trials for Hodgkin lymphoma and the potential value of those genetic lesions in clinical applications.

The utility of IMP3 immunohistochemical staining in differentiating nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma from T-Cell/Histiocyte-Rich large B-Cell lymphoma

INTRODUCTION

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) and T cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (THRLBCL) have overlapping histological features that make their diagnosis challenging. Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3) is a recently proposed diagnostic marker for Hodgkin's lymphoma. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of IMP3 in differentiating NLPHL from THRLBCL.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks from 56 patients (28 NLPHL and 28 large B cell lymphoma (LBCL, including 16 THRLBCL and 12 DLBCL, NOS) cases based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) were included. Sample sections were stained for IMP3 using IHC method. Moderate to strong staining in at least 10% of tumor cells was considered positive IMP3 expression.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 41.25 ± 16.08 years old. The majority of the patients were male. There was a significant age difference between NLPHL (34.61 ± 16.44 years old) and LBCL (47.89 ± 12.85 years) groups (p = 0.001). No significant difference was seen in gender and site between NLPHL and LBCL groups. The expression of IMP3 was mainly strong in LBCL group, while it was heterogeneously distributed among NLPHL samples ranging from weak to strong (p < 0.001). It was determined that strong IMP3 expression at 55.00% can differentiate LBCL from NLPHL with 71.4% sensitivity and 71.4% specificity.

CONCLUSION

Our findings showed that IMP3 may be a good complement in differentiating NLPHL cases from THRLBCL.

Individualized patient care in nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare lymphoma that has traditionally been considered a subgroup of Hodgkin lymphoma. However, morphology, surface marker expression, genetics, and clinical course are different from classic Hodgkin lymphoma. While most patients experience indolent disease with slow progression, some patients can also have more aggressive disease. Nevertheless, outcomes are excellent, and excess mortality due to NLPHL is at most very low. The treatment of newly diagnosed NLPHL has historically mirrored that of classic Hodgkin lymphoma. However, evidence for deviations from that approach has emerged over time and is discussed herein. Less evidence is available for the optimal management of relapsed patients. So-called variant histology has recently emerged as a biological risk factor, providing at least a partial explanation for the observed heterogeneity of NLPHL. Considering variant histology together with other risk factors and careful observation of the clinical course of the disease in each patient can help to assess individual disease aggressiveness. Also important in this mostly indolent disease are the preferences of the patient and host factors, such as individual susceptibility to specific treatment side effects. Considering all this together can guide individualized treatment recommendations, which are paramount in this rare disease.

Management of children and adults with all stages of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma - All StAGEs: A consensus-based position paper from the Hodgkin lymphoma subgroup of the UK National Cancer Research Institute

A consensus statement for the management for patients of all ages with all stages of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) - All StAGEs - is proposed by representatives of the UK National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Hodgkin lymphoma study group and the Children's Cancer & Leukaemia Group. Based on current practices and published evidence, a consensus has been reached regarding diagnosis, staging and risk-ik7 stratified management which includes active surveillance, low- and standard-dose immunochemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The Grey Zones of Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Simple Summary

Classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) is a well-defined lymphoid neoplasm with a minority of characteristic neoplastic cells of B cell origin, namely Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg cells immersed in a rich reactive inflammatory infiltrate in the background. Although CHL has always been set apart from non-Hodgkin lymphomas, cases with morphological and phenotypic features intermediate between CHL and other lymphomas have been described. Whereas some of these lymphomas only represent morphological mimics, others exhibit mutational and gene expression profiles which overlap with CHL, indicating that these cases, frequently termed grey zone lymphomas, reside on the biological boundary between CHL and large B-cell lymphomas. In the present review, we aim to describe the current knowledge of these rare lymphomas, address diagnostic issues and summarize today’s concepts on the classification of grey zone lymphomas and related tumors.

Abstract

Classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) is a well-defined neoplasm characterized by the presence of a minority of pathognomonic Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg (HRS) cells in a reactive inflammatory background. Although genotypically of B cell origin, HRS cells exhibit a downregulated B cell program and therefore are set apart from other B cell lymphomas in the current WHO classification. However, cases with morphological and phenotypic features overlapping with CHL have been recognized, and the category of B cell lymphoma—unclassifiable—with features intermediate between diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and CHL, also termed grey zone lymphoma, was first introduced into the WHO classification in 2008 as provisional entity. These cases, as well as others raising a differential diagnosis of CHL can present diagnostic problems, as well as therapeutic challenges. Whereas some of these lymphomas only represent biologically unrelated morphological mimics, others, especially mediastinal grey zone lymphoma, exhibit genetic and gene expression profiles which overlap with CHL, indicating a true biological relationship. In this review, we address areas of diagnostic difficulties between CHL and other lymphoma subtypes, discuss the biological basis of true grey zone lymphoma based on recent molecular studies and delineate current concepts for the classification of these rare tumors.

Role of Radiomics-Based Baseline PET/CT Imaging in Lymphoma: Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Response Assessment

Radiomic analysis provides information on the underlying tumour heterogeneity in lymphoma, reflecting the real-time evolution of malignancy. 2-Deoxy-2-[¹⁸F] fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography ([¹⁸F] FDG PET/CT) imaging is recommended before, during, and at the end of treatment for almost all lymphoma patients. This methodology offers high specificity and sensitivity, which can aid in accurate staging and assist in prompt treatment. Pretreatment [¹⁸F] FDG PET/CT-based radiomics facilitates improved diagnostic ability, guides individual treatment regimens, and boosts outcome prognosis based on heterogeneity as well as the biological, pathological, and metabolic status of the lymphoma. This technique has attracted considerable attention given its numerous applications in medicine. In the current review, we will briefly describe the basic radiomics workflow and types of radiomic features. Details of current applications of baseline [¹⁸F] FDG PET/CT-based radiomics in lymphoma will be discussed, such as differential diagnosis from other primary malignancies, diagnosis of bone marrow involvement, and response and prognostic prediction. We will also describe how this technique provides a unique noninvasive platform to assess tumour heterogeneity. Newly emerging PET radiotracers and multimodality technology will improve diagnostic specificity and further clarify tumor biology and even genetic variations in lymphoma, potentially promoting the development of precision medicine.

Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma: Review of Current Literature and Case Discussion

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare subset of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). It has a distinct clinical and pathological presentation. Unlike classic HL, where the predominant malignant cells are Reed Sternberg cells, the malignant cells in NLPHL are known as lymphocyte predominant (LP) cells, with their own unique immunohistochemistry antigen expression and staining pattern. Based on risk stratification and staging of the disease, treatment can range from active surveillance in asymptomatic patients with no organ compromise or bulky disease, to aggressive chemotherapeutic agents in advanced disease. Guidelines on which of these chemotherapy regimens would offer the most benefit to our patients are limited due to lack of randomized-controlled studies. Majority of the current prospective data on treatment were inclusive of both HL and NLPHL. Thus, the regimens employed in treatment of NLPHL are similar to the ones used in HL, though NLPHL is often viewed as its own distinct entity. This article aims to review the current literature and future advances on treatment of this rare disease.

Treatment patterns for relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma in a community oncology setting

There is little data about treatment practices for relapsed/refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) in nonacademic settings. We describe sequential treatments and outcomes among HL patients who experienced treatment failure in an integrated community-oncology setting. We performed a retrospective cohort study among patients ≥12 years diagnosed with Stage II-IV HL from 2007 to 2012 at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC). Of 463 HL patients, 75 (16.1%) experienced treatment failure. Patients with failure received between 1 and 8 salvage therapies; 28% received ≥4 lines of therapy. Fifty-nine of 75 (79%) were initially salvaged with ifosfamide-based therapy, 44 of whom underwent hematopoietic cell transplant. Ultimately, 47% of patients died, with most deaths due to HL. Survival was shorter with increasing age at diagnosis (p = 0.02) and with greater number of lines of therapy (p = 0.02). In a community oncology setting, HL patients received multiple lines of salvage. Despite extensive treatment, nearly half of patients died of HL following relapsed/refractory disease.

Current treatment options for nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare B cell-derived malignancy. This review aims at providing an overview of recent developments in the management of NLPHL.

RECENT FINDINGS

Patients with stage IA NLPHL without risk factors have excellent outcomes. The 8-year progression-free survival (PFS) is roughly 90% and the 8-year overall survival (OS) close to 100% after limited-field radiotherapy (RT) alone. Individuals presenting with early stages other than stage IA without risk factors and intermediate stages have 10-year PFS rates in excess of 70% and 10-year OS rates exceeding 90% when treated with 2 and 4 cycles of ABVD, respectively, followed by consolidation RT. In advanced NLPHL, different protocols such as BEACOPP, ABVD, and R-CHOP have been evaluated retrospectively. However, the optimal approach is undefined. Patients with relapsed NLPHL mostly receive single-agent anti-CD20 antibody treatment or conventional chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation are restricted to high-risk patients. NLPHL recurrence is salvaged successfully in the majority of cases.

SUMMARY

Patients with NLPHL have a very good prognosis. Treatment differs from classical Hodgkin lymphoma in some situations.

Histopathological growth patterns in patients with advanced nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma treated within the randomized HD18 study: a report from the German Hodgkin Study Group

We retrospectively investigated histopathological growth patterns in individuals with advanced nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) treated within the randomized HD18 study. In all, 35/60 patients (58%) presented with atypical growth patterns. Patients with atypical growth patterns more often had stage IV disease (P = 0·0354) and splenic involvement (P = 0·0048) than patients with typical growth patterns; a positive positron emission tomography after two cycles of chemotherapy (PET-2) tended to be more common (P = 0·1078). Five-year progression-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 0·86; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0·49-1·47] and overall survival (HR = 0·85; 95% CI = 0·49-1·51) did not differ between the groups after study treatment with PET-2-guided escalated BEACOPP (bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone). Thus, advanced NLPHL is often associated with atypical growth patterns but their prognostic impact is compensated by PET-2-guided escalated BEACOPP.

Development and validation of a prediction model for 1-year mortality among older adults with Hodgkin Lymphoma who receive dose-intense chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Older adults with Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) have poorer outcomes than younger patients. There are little data about which baseline patient and disease factors inform prognosis among older patients. We sought to create a prediction model for 1-year mortality among older patients with new HL who received dose-intense chemotherapy.

METHODS

We included adults ≥65 years old with a new diagnosis of classical HL between 2000-2013 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare dataset who received full-regimen chemotherapy. Through a non-random 2:1 split, we created development and validation cohorts. Multiple imputation was used for missing data. Using stepwise selection and logistic regression, we identified predictive variables for 1-year mortality. The model was applied to the validation cohort. A final model was then fit in the full cohort.

RESULTS

We included 1315 patients. In the development cohort (n = 813), we identified significant predictors of 1-year mortality including age, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), B symptoms at diagnosis, and advanced stage at diagnosis. The c-statistic was 0.70. When this model was applied to the validation cohort (n = 502), the c-statistic was 0.65. Predictors of 1-year mortality in the final model were CCI (OR = 1.41), B symptoms (OR = 1.54), advanced stage (OR = 1.44), and older age at diagnosis (OR = 1.33).

CONCLUSION

We present a prediction model for use among older adults with HL who receive intensive chemotherapy. We identify risk factors for death within 1 year of diagnosis. Future work will build upon prognostication and shared decision-making after diagnosis for this population.

When is surgical resection alone appropriate treatment for pediatric nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma?

The surgeon’s role in the management of lymphoma is typically limited to performing biopsies for diagnosis. Most patients with lymphoma are treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation, but in rare cases, lymphoma can be primarily treated with surgery. We present a case of nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma in a 4-year-old child with cervical adenopathy and discuss initial treatment with surgery alone. Surgery as primary treatment avoids the serious long-term sequelae of chemotherapy and radiation, and reserves those options for possible future recurrences; however, this approach should be reserved for patients with limited and low-risk disease. This case report reviews the pros and cons of treating early-stage nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma in a pediatric patient with surgery alone.

Rituximab-Containing Risk-Adapted Treatment Strategy in Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma: 7-Years Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare variant of HL that accounts for 5% of all HL cases. The expression of CD20 on neoplastic lymphocytes provides a suitable target for novel treatments based on Rituximab. Due to its rarity, consolidated and widely accepted treatment guidelines are still lacking for this disease.

METHODS

Between 1 December 2007 and 28 February 2018, sixteen consecutive newly diagnosed adult patients with NLPHL received Rituximab (induction ± maintenance)-based therapy, according to the baseline risk of German Hodgkin Study Group prognostic score system. The treatment efficacy and safety of the Rituximab-group were compared to those of a historical cohort of 12 patients with NLPHL who received Doxorubicin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (RT), if needed, according to a similar baseline risk. The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS) and secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and side-effects (according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, v4.03).

RESULTS

After a 7-year follow-up (range, 1-11 years), PFS was 100% for patients treated with the Rituximab-containing regimen versus 66% for patients of the historical cohort (p = 0.036). Four patients in the latter group showed insufficient response to therapy. The PFS for early favorable and early unfavorable NLPHLs was similar between treatment groups, while a better PFS was recorded for advanced-stages treated with the Rituximab-containing regimen. The OS was similar for the two treatment groups. Short- and long-term side-effects were more frequently observed in the historical cohort. Grade ≥3 neutropenia was more frequent in the historical cohort compared with the Rituximab-group (58.3% vs. 18.7%, respectively; p = 0.03). Long-term non-hematological toxicities were observed more frequently in the historical cohort.

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm the value of Rituximab in NLPHL therapy and show that Rituximab (single-agent) induction and maintenance in a limited-stage, or Rituximab with ABVD only in the presence of risk factors, give excellent results while sparing cytotoxic agent- and/or RT-related damage. Furthermore, Rituximab inclusion in advanced-stage therapeutic strategy seems to improve PFS compared to conventional chemo-radiotherapy.