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Ofatumumab in relapsed nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: results of a phase II study from the German Hodgkin study group

Leukemia volume 30, pages 1425–1427 (2016)Cite this article

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Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) accounts for ~5% of all Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cases. Unlike classical HL (cHL), the consistent expression of CD20 on the disease-defining lymphocyte-predominant (LP) cells represents a hallmark of NLPHL. The clinical course often resembles indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and is characterized by a slow disease progression in most cases. However, NLPHL has a tendency toward late and multiple relapses as well as histologic transformation into aggressive B-cell NHL.1

Previous studies have evaluated the chimeric first-generation anti-CD20 antibody rituximab in newly diagnosed and relapsed NLPHL.2, 3, 4 Response rates were excellent ranging between 94 and 100%. Despite these promising response rates, current guidelines do not recommend single agent rituximab for the treatment of newly diagnosed NLPHL. This is due to the impaired tumor control in comparison with stage-adapted first-line treatment consisting of radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy or combined-modality approaches.5, 6, 7, 8, 9 In contrast, results with rituximab in relapsed NLPHL appear to be similar to those obtained with more aggressive salvage therapy such as high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).10 However, as this impression is based on the results of two phase II studies including 15 and 18 patients with relapsed NLPHL, respectively, more data are necessary to draw final conclusions regarding the role of anti-CD20 antibodies in relapsed NLPHL.3, 4

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Acknowledgements

The study drug was provided free of charge by GlaxoSmithKline.

Author contributions

DAE, HG, AP and AE designed research, analyzed and interpreted data; DAE, HG, AP, DW, KB, SK, IT, TH, PJB, MF, BB, BvT, PB and AE provided study material or patients; DAE, HG and AE wrote the paper. All authors collected and assembled data and provided final approval of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    D A Eichenauer, H Goergen, A Plütschow, K Behringer, S Kreissl, P J Bröckelmann, M Fuchs, B Böll, B von Tresckow, P Borchmann & A Engert

  2. German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG), University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    D A Eichenauer, H Goergen, A Plütschow, D Wongso, K Behringer, S Kreissl, I Thielen, T Halbsguth, P J Bröckelmann, M Fuchs, B Böll, B von Tresckow, P Borchmann & A Engert

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  1. D A Eichenauer
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  2. H Goergen
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  3. A Plütschow
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  12. B von Tresckow
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  14. A Engert
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A Engert.

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Competing interests

BvT: consulting, advisory role and research funding (Novartis). The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Eichenauer, D., Goergen, H., Plütschow, A. et al. Ofatumumab in relapsed nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: results of a phase II study from the German Hodgkin study group. Leukemia 30, 1425–1427 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2015.321

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