Brentuximab vedotin regimens show longer event-free survival in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma patients.
Background
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) accounts for 3.4% of all cancers in Saudi Arabia, with advanced-stage relapse rates reaching 40%. For patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), treatment options are critical, and standard chemotherapy often falls short. Brentuximab vedotin (BV), an anti-CD30 antibody-drug conjugate, has established efficacy in this setting, but real-world data, especially from specific regional populations like Saudi Arabia, remain limited. Understanding its performance in diverse clinical practices is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes.
Study Design
This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included 93 adult patients with relapsed or refractory cHL in Saudi Arabia, treated between 2016 and 2021. Patients were divided into a BV-containing group (n = 61) and a control group (n = 32) receiving non-BV standard chemotherapy. The study assessed real-world effectiveness and safety, with primary endpoints including overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR), event-free survival (EFS), and post-chemotherapy complications. Data were analyzed using crude and regression analyses to compare outcomes between the two treatment arms.
Results
The BV group demonstrated a higher ORR of 82.5% compared to 76.9% in the non-BV group, though this difference was not statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 9.09; 95% CI = 0.67-122.57; P = 0.10). CR rates were comparable, with 59.6% in the BV group versus 61.5% in the control group (aOR = 1.86; 95% CI = 0.24-14.46; P = 0.55).
Key Findings
- Brentuximab vedotin regimens achieved an
ORRof 82.5% vs. 76.9% for non-BV regimens (P = 0.10). - Crude
EFSwas 22.5 months for BV vs. 11.2 months for non-BV (P = 0.03). - The
EFSbenefit did not reach statistical significance in regression analysis (P = 0.18). - Post-chemotherapy complications were comparable between groups.
Why It Matters
This real-world data suggests that Brentuximab vedotin (BV)-containing regimens may offer a clinical advantage in extending event-free survival for patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma, even if statistical significance was not maintained in adjusted analyses. For clinicians and patients in regions like Saudi Arabia, this provides valuable local evidence supporting BV's use. Integrating BV into treatment protocols for relapsed/refractory cHL could improve long-term outcomes, particularly given the high relapse rates. While further validation is needed, these findings reinforce BV's role as a crucial option, potentially influencing treatment sequencing and combination strategies to maximize patient benefit and quality of life in this challenging disease setting.
hodgkin lymphoma
brentuximab vedotin
relapsed refractory
oncology
cohort study
real-world evidence