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Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) has become a highly curable malignancy even in advanced stages when treated adequately. However, relapsed or refractory disease and treatment-related toxicity constitute a significant clinical challenge. Innovative approaches are thus needed to improve treatment of these mainly young patients. In HL lesions, very few malignant Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells are embedded in an immunosuppressive microenvironment of reactive cells. Novel approaches such as bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, immune-checkpoint inhibitors or adoptive cellular therapies are currently being investigated with promising results in relapsed or refractory patients. Encouraging response rates and a favorable toxicity profile have recently been reported in early phase clinical trials with antibodies blocking the programed-death receptor 1 (PD1). This review will summarize the current clinical knowledge on mechanism, safety and efficacy of the different agents and discuss potential future strategies, which are partly already investigated within clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a malignancy of the lymphatic system with an incidence of 2-3/100 000/year in Europe and North America. The disease generally occurs in all age groups, but young adults are most often affected. Thus, adolescents aged 15 or 16 to 21 represent a relevant portion of patients. The optimum treatment for this age group is undefined. Both pediatric protocols such as OEPA (vincristine, etoposide, prednisone, adriamycin) or ABVE-PC (adriamycin, bleomycin, vincristine, etoposide, prednisone, cyclophosphamide) and adult regimens such as ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) or BEACOPP (bleomycin, etoposide, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone) have been shown to be safe and active, resulting in long-term survival rates of 80% and more. However, a prospective comparison of pediatric and adult treatment strategies in terms of efficacy and other important questions such as treatment-related acute and long-term toxicity has not been undertaken so far. This review aims at shedding some light on potential treatment approaches for adolescents with HL and includes more recent analyses in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]