PURPOSE: We conducted a phase I/II study evaluating nivolumab plus doxorubicin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (N-AVD) as frontline therapy for treatment-naïve older adults (OA) with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03033914).

METHODS: Patients age ≥60 years with newly diagnosed, any stage, cHL were treated with six cycles of AVD at standard doses plus nivolumab 240 mg intravenously once every 2 weeks (on days 1 and 15) of each cycle. A geriatric assessment was performed before therapy initiation. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS: Patient characteristics (N = 40) included median age of 66 years (range, 60-78 years) with 38% ≥70 years, 78% with stage III/IV disease, 68% with International Prognostic Score of ≥3, 82% dependent in ≥1 activities of daily living, 23% dependent in ≥1 instrumental activities of daily living, 50% with impaired timed up and go test, and 40% with polypharmacy. Among 37 response-evaluable patients, the median follow-up was 49 months and 3-year PFS and overall survival (OS) were 79% and 97%, respectively. Overall, 50% patients experienced grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), including febrile neutropenia in 8%. Four (10%) patients stopped therapy due to TRAEs. There was no correlation between baseline geriatric impairments and survival outcomes or toxicities. Positron emission tomography-2 was not predictive of PFS or OS.

CONCLUSION: N-AVD is a highly effective and well-tolerated frontline regimen in OA with cHL across a wide range of geriatric impairments.