Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma revisited: current management strategies and future perspectives

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare lymphoma entity accounting for ≈5% of all Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cases. As some characteristics of NLPHL resemble B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), nodular lymphocyte-predominant B-cell lymphoma has been proposed as alternative name. Unlike classical HL (cHL), NLPHL is mostly diagnosed in early stages. The clinical course is usually indolent. Overall, NLPHL patients have an excellent prognosis and the majority experiences long-term survival. Except for stage IA disease which is sufficiently treated with radiotherapy alone, treatment of newly diagnosed NLPHL is often very similar to cHL. However, activity has also been demonstrated for rituximab-containing protocols applied in B-NHL. Second-line treatment is chosen individually and mostly less intensive than in cHL. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies may be part of future treatment strategies for NLPHL. This review aims at summarizing recent data on treatment approaches and discussing future perspectives in NLPHL.