Hodgkin Lymphoma: What to Do When Checkpoint Inhibitors Fail

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AbstractClassical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is uniquely vulnerable to PD-1 blockade. This is likely related, at least in part, to the near-universal genetic amplification events at 9p24.1, the locus of the genes for the PD-1 ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2). Several phase 2 studies have shown that single-agent monoclonal antibodies targeting the PD-1 pathway yield objective responses in approximately two-thirds of patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) cHL, although only a minority of patients achieve complete responses (CR). Furthermore, these remissions may be long-lasting, with a median duration of approximately 1.5 years. These results have made PD-1 blockade a cornerstone of the treatment for patients with R/R cHL, at least in the third line.