Background: The impact of prior salvage therapy with brentuximab vedotin (BV) for relapsed/ refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) on long-term outcomes after reduced intensity conditioned (RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is unknown. Early studies (Chen et al Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2014; 20: 1864-1868) suggested an improved 2-year progression free survival (PFS) with BV salvage given before allo-HCT compared to patients without prior BV treatment. In the current study, we analyzed the impact of prior therapy on the incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and other major outcomes in patients, who received an RIC allo-HCT for relapsed HL.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of relapsed/refractory HL patients who had RIC allo-HCT between 2005-2014 at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center. Patients were grouped according to prior history of salvage therapy with or without BV pre allo-HCT. Baseline patient characteristics are shown in the Table.

Results: Of the 62 consecutive allo-HCT recipients in this study, 25 had prior therapy with BV (BV group) and 37 received other chemotherapy alone (No BV group) for relapsed HL before allo-HCT. More patients in the BV group were in complete remission at allo-HCT (Table). The 100 day acute GVHD and 5 year cGVHD incidence for the BV vs. no BV group were 58% (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 39%-78%) vs. 65% (95% CI: 50%-80%), p=0.6 and 46% (95% CI: 26%-67%) vs. 51% (95% CI: 35%-68%), p=0.66, respectively. The 5 year non-relapse mortality and relapse/ progression for the BV vs. no BV group were 8% (95% CI: 1%-19%) vs. 25% (95% CI: 11%-38%), p=0.13 and 46% (95% CI: 24%-67%) vs. 38% (95% CI: 22%-53%), p0.98. The 5 year PFS and overall survival for BV vs. no BV group were 46% (95% CI: 25%-68%) vs. 38% (95% CI: 22%-53%), p=0.44 and 78% (95% CI: 60%-95%) vs. 56% (95% CI: 40%-72%), p=0.14. The major cause of death in both groups was relapsed HL.

Conclusion: With longer follow-up, similar incidences of cGVHD, PFS and OS were observed in patients who received salvage therapy for relapsed/refractory HL prior to allo-HCT with or without BV. Any potential differences in cGVHD and other major outcomes need to be tested in a larger population.

Table 1.
CharacteristicsPrior treatment with Brentuximab vedotin
Yes
N=25
No
N=37
Median age, years (range) 27 (14-47) 32 (17-64) 
Disease stage at diagnosis, n (%)
I
II
III
IV 
2 (8)
11 (44)
7 (28)
5 (20) 
0 (0)
15 (41)
12 (32)
10 (27) 
Prior history of local radiation pre allo-HCT 20 (80) 29 (78) 
No. of prior lines of therapies pre allo-HCT 4 (2 - 10) 3 (2 - 7 ) 
Prior autologous HCT, n (%)
0
1
2 (tandem auto) 
1 (4)
21 (84)
3 (12) 
0 (0)
35 (96)
2 (4) 
Disease status at allo-HCT, n (%)
Complete remission
Partial remission
Progressive disease 
9 (36)
13 (52)
3 (12) 
7 (19)
20 (54)
10 (27) 
Median interval from diagnosis to allo-HCT, months (range) 33 (10.7-222) 30.7 (5-292) 
Graft type, n (%)
Bone Marrow
Peripheral blood stem cells 
9 (36)
16 (64) 
15 (41)
22 (59) 
Donor type, n (%)
Haploidentical
Matched related
Matched unrelated
Mismatch unrelated 
16 (64)
5 (20)
4 (16)
0 (0) 
17 (46)
14 (38)
5 (14)
1 (2) 
Conditioning for allo-HCT, n (%)
FLU/CY/TBI (2 Gy)
FLU/TBI (2 Gy)
FLU/TBI (3 Gy)
TBI (2 Gy) 
16 (64)
6 (24)
1 (4)
2 (8) 
17 (46)
15 (40)
0 (0)
5 (14) 
GVHD prophylaxis, n (%)
CNI/MMF/post transplant CY
CNI+MMF+/- other 
16 (64)
9 (36) 
17 (46)
20 (54) 
Median follow-up, months (range) 34 (4 - 99) 84 (34 - 121) 
Abbrev: FLU fludarabine, CY cyclophosphamide, TBI total body irradiation,
CNI calcineurin inhibitor, MMF mycophenolate mofetil 
CharacteristicsPrior treatment with Brentuximab vedotin
Yes
N=25
No
N=37
Median age, years (range) 27 (14-47) 32 (17-64) 
Disease stage at diagnosis, n (%)
I
II
III
IV 
2 (8)
11 (44)
7 (28)
5 (20) 
0 (0)
15 (41)
12 (32)
10 (27) 
Prior history of local radiation pre allo-HCT 20 (80) 29 (78) 
No. of prior lines of therapies pre allo-HCT 4 (2 - 10) 3 (2 - 7 ) 
Prior autologous HCT, n (%)
0
1
2 (tandem auto) 
1 (4)
21 (84)
3 (12) 
0 (0)
35 (96)
2 (4) 
Disease status at allo-HCT, n (%)
Complete remission
Partial remission
Progressive disease 
9 (36)
13 (52)
3 (12) 
7 (19)
20 (54)
10 (27) 
Median interval from diagnosis to allo-HCT, months (range) 33 (10.7-222) 30.7 (5-292) 
Graft type, n (%)
Bone Marrow
Peripheral blood stem cells 
9 (36)
16 (64) 
15 (41)
22 (59) 
Donor type, n (%)
Haploidentical
Matched related
Matched unrelated
Mismatch unrelated 
16 (64)
5 (20)
4 (16)
0 (0) 
17 (46)
14 (38)
5 (14)
1 (2) 
Conditioning for allo-HCT, n (%)
FLU/CY/TBI (2 Gy)
FLU/TBI (2 Gy)
FLU/TBI (3 Gy)
TBI (2 Gy) 
16 (64)
6 (24)
1 (4)
2 (8) 
17 (46)
15 (40)
0 (0)
5 (14) 
GVHD prophylaxis, n (%)
CNI/MMF/post transplant CY
CNI+MMF+/- other 
16 (64)
9 (36) 
17 (46)
20 (54) 
Median follow-up, months (range) 34 (4 - 99) 84 (34 - 121) 
Abbrev: FLU fludarabine, CY cyclophosphamide, TBI total body irradiation,
CNI calcineurin inhibitor, MMF mycophenolate mofetil 

Disclosures

Maloney:Seattle Genetics: Honoraria; Roche/Genentech: Honoraria; Janssen Scientific Affairs: Honoraria; Juno Therapeutics: Research Funding. Gopal:Gilead, Spectrum, Pfizer, Janssen, Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; Spectrum, Pfizer, BioMarin, Cephalon/Teva, Emergent/Abbott. Gilead, Janssen., Merck, Milennium, Piramal, Seattle Genetics, Giogen Idec, BMS: Research Funding; Millennium, Seattle Genetics, Sanofi-Aventis: Honoraria. Cassaday:Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding. Sandmaier:Gilliad: Honoraria; ArevaMed: Honoraria; Jazz Pharmaceutical: Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Honoraria; Abmit: Research Funding; Bellicum: Research Funding.

Author notes

*

Asterisk with author names denotes non-ASH members.

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