Pembrolizumab (pembro) in Children and Young Adults with High-Risk Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) with Slow Early Response (SER) to Front-Line Chemotherapy (chemo): Updated Results from the Phase 2 Keynote-667 Study

• Published in: Blood 2023-11, Vol.142 (Supplement 1), p.3063-3063
• Main Authors: Mauz-Koerholz, Christine, Beishuizen, Auke, Vinti, Luciana, Ceraulo, Antony, Michel, Gerard, Cepelova, Michaela, Fagioli, Franca, Sabado Alvarez, Constantino, Ducassou, Stephane, Buffardi, Salvatore, Andión Catalan, Maitane, Hoppe, Brad, Keller, Frank, Kelly, Kara M., Roth, Lisa Giulino, Landman-Parker, Judith, Shen, Juan, Pillai, Pallavi, Daw, Stephen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood-2023-187028

Background: cHL is one of the most curable forms of childhood cancer, but patients (pts) who have a SER to initial chemo are at high risk of relapse. The approaches currently used to treat pts with SER, such as dose intensification and radiotherapy (RT), can cause long-term toxicity.An unmet need remains to optimize treatment in pts with cHL and SER while minimizing long-term toxicity. The open-label, phase 2 KEYNOTE-667 study (NCT03407144) is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembro plus chemo in pediatric pts with cHL and SER to front-line chemo. Early analysis of pts in KEYNOTE-667 with high-risk cHL showed that pembro plus cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone/prednisolone, and dacarbazine (COPDAC-28) consolidation had manageable safety and promising antitumor activity, with 66% of pts being spared RT. We present updated results for pts with high-risk cHL and SER. Methods: Pts eligible for the high-risk group were 3-25 y old and had newly diagnosed stage IIEB, IIIEA, IIIEB, IIIB, IVA, or IVB cHL, measurable disease per investigator assessment, and a Lansky Play-Performance Scale ≥50 (