Long-term survival outcomes of brentuximab vedotin in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE The short-term benefits of brentuximab vedotin (BV) for classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) are well established, but its long-term benefits for refractory/relapsing (r/r) cHL are unknown. A meta-analysis was undertaken to examine the overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) from relevant studies with patients with r/r cHL post-autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) exposed to BV. MATERIALS AND METHODS PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library were searched for available papers published up to January 2020. The main outcomes included 3-year OS/PFS and/or 5-year OS/PFS. Data were pooled using random-effects models. RESULTS Four studies were included: one randomized controlled trial, one single-arm trial, and two retrospective studies. The four studies included a total of 383 patients (mean of 95.75/study). The proportion of females was 21%-89%. The median age was 26-33 years. The 3-year OS was available for one study and was 41% in patients with r/r cHL with BV after ASCT (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.16-0.67). The 5-year OS was available for two studies and was 34% in patients with r/r cHL with BV after ASCT (OR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.19-0.48; mixed-effects model). The 5-year PFS was available for three studies and was 31% in patients with r/r cHL with BV after ASCT (OR=0.31, 95% CI: 0.02-0.61; mixed-effects model). CONCLUSIONS The 5-year OS in patients with r/r cHL treated with BV after ASCT is 34% (95 CI: 19%-48%). The 5-year PFS in patients with r/r cHL treated with BV after ASCT is 31% (95 CI: 2%-61%).