Treatment strategies for Hodgkin lymphoma recurring following autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) represents one of the great success stories in hematology going from a uniformly fatal disease, to one that is curable in the vast majority of cases. Despite this success, some patients experience relapse. To address this unmet need a variety of agents, classes of drugs, and strategies have demonstrated activity in HL recurring after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These include chemotherapeutics (gemcitabine-based combinations, bendamustine), histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (panobinostat), immunomodulatory agents (lenalidomide), mTOR inhiobitors (everolimus), monoclonal antibodies (rituximab), and antibody-drug conjugates (brentuximab vedotin) as well the potential of long-term disease control via allogeneic transplantation. Such advances reflect our increased understanding of the biology of HL and hold promise for continued improved outcomes for those suffering with this condition.