OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to describe the real-life effectiveness and safety of nivolumab treatment in patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma. The secondary objective is to describe the therapeutic management after nivolumab monotherapy.

METHOD: Observational, retrospective, multidisciplinary study including all patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with nivolumab monotherapy from November 2015 to March 2023. Patient and treatment-related variables were collected. Effectiveness was measured as overall response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival. Safety was measured as percentage of patients with adverse effects and severity.

RESULTS: Thirteen patients were included, median age 37.5 years (RIQ: 25.3-54.7), 84.6% male. The median number of previous lines of therapy was 3 (RIQ: 2-4.5), including autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (84.6%) and brentuximab vedotin (100%). All received nivolumab 3 mg/kg/14 days, with a median of 11 cycles (RIQ: 6.5-20.5) per patient. Median time on treatment was 4.9 months (RIQ: 3-9.6) and median follow-up time was 9.2 months (RIQ: 5.6-32.3). Complete response was achieved by 3 patients (23.1%), partial response by 3 (23.1%), stable disease by 3 (23.1%), and progression by 4 (30.8%). The objective response rate was 46.2%. Median progression-free survival was 23.9 months (95% CI: 0-49.1), median overall survival was not reached. At the study cut-off date, 5 patients had died (38.5%), 4 were in complete remission without active treatment (30.8%), and 4 were continuing treatment (30.8%). Adverse events occurred in 76.9% of patients, 44% of severity ≥3, the most frequent being hypothyroidism and hepatotoxicity. One patient discontinued treatment due to pneumonitis, 2 suffered treatment delays (thrombocytopenia and hypertransaminemia), and 1 changed the regimen to monthly (pulmonary toxicity).

CONCLUSIONS: Nivolumab in the treatment of relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma has confirmed favourable effectiveness data in the study sample, expressed as objective response rate of 46.2% and a clinical benefit rate of 69.2%. Safety was acceptable, manageable, and consistent with that described in the literature.