Recent advances in Hodgkin lymphoma: interim PET and molecular-targeted therapy

Hodgkin lymphoma is a highly curative lymphoid malignancy, but some patients relapse or experience adverse events from treatment. Therefore, prognostic markers are needed to allow a more patient-tailored approach to treatment. The positive-predictive value of interim positron emission tomography for progression-free survival was reported as 81%, and the negative-predictive value was reported as 97%. Interim positron emission tomography might identify high-risk patients who would benefit from more intensive treatment regimens as well as identify low-risk patients in whom even the standard treatment regimen might be a form of overtreatment. Indeed, major clinical study groups have conducted risk-adapted treatment protocols based on interim positron emission tomography. The Japan Clinical Oncology Group is also planning a Phase II trial of this concept for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma. These trials are now ongoing, but the data of them are expected soon. Molecular-targeted therapy is another important approach to improve outcomes for these patients. Brentuximab vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate that targets CD30 on Hodgkin cells and has excellent efficacy when used as monotherapy. The combination of brentuximab vedotin and standard chemotherapies are being investigated in randomized Phase III trials. These approaches might lead to a paradigm shift in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma.