pairingsPairing

PD-1 blockade + AVD chemotherapy

Immunotherapy given alongside standard chemotherapy from day one cures more advanced Hodgkin lymphoma with less nerve damage.

SWOG S1826: 2-year PFS 92% vs 83% for BV-AVD, neuropathy halved; approved March 2026 for ages 12+.

Nivolumab+Doxorubicincombination

Rationale

Reed-Sternberg cells are PD-L1-amplified (9p24.1) and immune-dependent; chemotherapy debulks while PD-1 blockade engages the abundant reactive T cells in the tumour.

Evidence

Phase 3 (S1826) positive; phase 2 CheckMate 205 cohort D.

Key papers

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rctNew England Journal of Medicine 2024changed practice

SWOG S1826: nivolumab plus AVD chemotherapy versus brentuximab-AVD for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma in adolescents and adults

S1826 moved checkpoint blockade into first-line Hodgkin lymphoma and made N-AVD a preferred regimen for advanced disease in patients from adolescence to older age, while removing radiotherapy for most. It also showed the value of a single trial spanning paediatric and adult groups. Longer follow-up is needed for overall survival and late immune effects in young patients.

Connected

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PD-1 blockade + AVD chemotherapy

Key papers

Connected

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trials

key papers