The Benefit of Brentuximab Vedotin and Checkpoint Inhibitors in Relapsed / Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Aim: To assess the real-world efficacy of brentuximab vedotin and PD-1 inhibitors versus historical chemotherapy-only salvage regimens in relapsed/refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma. Methods: Retrospective single-center study of two cohorts (n=30 each) treated between 1996–2012 (historical) and 2017–2021 (immunotherapy), with survival endpoints (OS, PFS, EFS1-3) analyzed by Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests. Results: The immunotherapy group achieved a higher overall response rate (80% vs. 36.7%, p=0.001), longer median OS (47 vs. 30 months) and superior EFS1–3 (33 vs. 16 months, 32.5 vs. 8 months, 38 vs. 23 months; all p 0.05) compared to historical controls. Conclusion: Incorporation of brentuximab vedotin and PD-1 blockade before and after autologous SCT significantly improves response and survival outcomes in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, supporting earlier use of these agents in salvage and frontline settings.