Real-world evidence for pembrolizumab gemcitabine vinorelbine and liposomal doxorubicin in classical Hodgkin lymphoma
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) cure is achievable with first-line cytotoxic and novel agents and radiation.However, 10% relapse rates and 5% to 10% refractory rates necessitate salvage treatment, often followed by consolidative high-dose therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT).However, up to 80% of patients are cured, and metabolic complete response (CR) with fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computerized tomography is associated with a 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate of 75%.1,2 No standard second-line therapy for CHL currently exists.Without randomized controlled trials, imperfect cross-study comparisons of efficacy, tolerability, and convenience often drive regimen selection.Brentuximab vedotin (BV) and checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-based regimens are tolerable and often administered via outpatient facilities.3-5 CR and PFS rates with CPI monotherapy improved with the addition of BV or cytotoxic chemotherapy to CPI. [5][6][7][8][9][10] Gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and liposomal doxorubicin (GVD) was associated with an overall response rate (ORR) of 70% (complete response rate [CRR], 19%).11 Adding pembrolizumab to augment antitumor immune responses was described in a phase 2, single-arm trial with 38 evaluable patients.In patients with relapsed/refractory CHL (rrCHL) who were eligible for transplant and receiving secondline pembrolizumab + GVD (P-GVD), ORR was 100% (CRR, 95%).Toxicities were primarily grades 1 to 2, except a few grade 3 immune-and nonimmune-related events.12 As a result, P-GVD is a commonly used, outpatient-administered regimen for rrCHL.This study had a relatively small sample size, setting the stage for a multicenter analysis with a larger, off-trial cohort.This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted at 9 centers across the United States.Inclusion criteria were CHL diagnosis, age ≥18 years, and P-GVD treatment not administered on trial.This study was approved by institutional review boards at member institutions.All coinvestigators conducted data collection and interpretation.Data analyses were completed at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.The primary end points were ORR and CRR, summarized as percentages with binomial confidence intervals (CI), as assessed by treating institutions.The secondary objectives of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Landmark
Source: Blood Advances
Authors: Grace Baek, Gaurav Varma, Samuel Yamshon, Herman van Besien, Nancy L. Bartlett, Marcus Watkins, Harsh R. Shah, Kelsey Baron, Reid W. Merryman, Ayo S. Falade, Jakub Svoboda, Sara Prischak, Christopher D’Angelo, Joe D. Lukowski, Ranjana H. Advani, Austin H. Yeung, Maya Rosenberg, Jenna Voutsinas, Mengyang Di, Ryan Lynch, Christina Poh, Vikram Raghunathan, Mazyar Shadman, Stephen Smith, Brian G. Till, Chaitra Ujjani, Catherine S. Diefenbach, Ajay K. Gopal
Institutions: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, NYU Langone’s Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,800
Funders: Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Gilead Sciences, Celgene, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, TG Therapeutics, Astex Pharmaceuticals, Atara Biotherapeutics, MEI Pharma, BeiGene, Incyte, Seagen, Coherus Biosciences, MorphoSys, Ipsen, Genentech, Kite Pharma, Pharmacyclics, Ignyta, Loxo Oncology
OpenAlex ID: W7138836840