How I incorporate novel agents into the treatment of classical Hodgkin lymphoma

The introduction of targeted immunotherapies specifically, brentuximab vedotin (BV) and programmed death-1 (PD-1)–blocking antibodies (nivolumab and pembrolizumab), has reshaped the therapeutic landscape of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in the past decade. Targeting specific biologic features of cHL, these novel agents have expanded treatment options for patients with multiply R/R cHL and have increasingly been studied at earlier points in a patient’s disease course. With the plethora of studies evaluating BV and PD-1 blockade as part of cHL therapy, often in nonrandomized, controlled studies, more questions than answers have arisen about how to optimally integrate these drugs into clinical practice. In this article, we use a case-based format to offer practical guidance on how we incorporate BV and anti-PD-1 antibodies into the management of cHL and review the data supporting those recommendations.