ASCO 2024: BrECADD yields impressive results for Hodgkin lymphoma
Data from the GHSG HD21 trial, which was recently presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting (May 31–June 4, IL, USA), indicates that BrECADD is more effective than BEACOPP and causes fewer side effects for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma.
The Phase III GHSG HD21 trial included 1482 advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma patients who were randomized to receive 4 or 6 cycles of either BEACOPP or BrECADD, guided by positron-emission tomography (PET) results.
For the BrECADD group, progression-free survival was 94.3%, whilst it was 90.9% for BEACOPP. In terms of overall survival, 98.5% was observed for BrECADD and 98.2% for BEACOPP. The most noteworthy finding of the trial centers around the number of cycles of treatment, 64% of patients in the BrECADD group finished their treatment in four cycles (approximately 3 months).
The team also analyzed gonadal function to assess the effects of the treatment regimens on sexual development and fertility. For the BrECADD group, a significantly higher follicle-stimulating hormone recovery rate was observed after 1 year in both men (67% vs. 24%) and women (89% vs. 68%) along with higher birth rates.
“BEACOPP, a combination of seven anti-cancer drugs, is an effective treatment for advanced-stage classic Hodgkin lymphoma, but its use is limited by high rates of severe toxicities. In this trial, the BrECADD regimen, a combination of six anti-cancer drugs, reduced the risk of progression, relapse, or death from the disease and resulted in a strikingly high 4-year progression-free survival rate of 94.3%. Patients who received BrECADD also experienced fewer side effects and had higher fertility rates than patients who received BEACOPP,” commented ASCO spokesperson Oreofe O. Odejide (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MA, USA).
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Another co-primary endpoint for the study was treatment-related morbidity (TRMB), which it has been previously reported to be significantly reduced in the BrECADD population compared to those receiving eBEACOPP.
Upcoming steps for the trial include exploring ways to increase the number of patients who only require four cycles of treatment. The researchers also want to evaluate the potential benefit of adding PD-1 inhibitors to the BrECADD regimen.