Phase 2 trial of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy for relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma

The optimal treatment regimen for patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (R/R cHL) is not clear. A multicenter phase 2 trial in the US found that among patients with R/R cHL, the combination of pembrolizumab plus ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) chemotherapy was well tolerated and highly effective in comparison with prior reports of chemotherapy-only regimens. The overall response rate was 97.3%, and progression-free and overall survival at two years were 87.2% and 95.1%, respectively.