N-AVD Yields High Progression-Free Survival in Teens With Hodgkin Lymphoma

THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For adolescent patients with newly diagnosed advanced-stage (AS) classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), nivolumab, doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (N-AVD) yields high three-year progression-free survival (PFS) with minimal use of radiotherapy, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Sharon M. Castellino, M.D., from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, and colleagues compared N-AVD with brentuximab vedotin-AVD (BV-AVD) in 240 adolescent patients (age 12 to 17 years), enrolled within a trial of 994 patients with newly diagnosed AS cHL.

The researchers found that the three-year PFS was significantly higher in the N-AVD versus the BV-AVD group (93 versus 82 percent, respectively; hazard ratio, 0.37). Protocol-specified residual site radiotherapy was received by one N-AVD and two BV-AVD patients. In both groups, the rates of febrile neutropenia and sepsis were low. Severe immune-related adverse events occurred rarely, although 7 percent with N-AVD had thyroid dysfunction. By clinician report, severe neuropathy (grade ≥2) was more frequent with BV-AVD (14 versus 7 percent). Premature discontinuation of therapy was reported in 12 N-AVD patients and four BV-AVD patients; no PFS events were noted in the N-AVD group. Less toxicity was seen with N-AVD based on patient-reported outcomes.

“The study indicates the ability for pediatric and adult oncologists to collaborate to safely accelerate the time to access novel therapies for teens with lymphoma by including them in trials with adult patients,” Castellino said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry, including to Bristol Myers Squibb, which provided funding and drugs for the trial.

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