Immunochemotherapy of refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma with high-dose consolidation and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation complicated by a new coronavirus infection

Abstract

Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of the most treatable lymphoproliferative diseases with current chemotherapy regimens. The 5-year overall survival rate among patients after initial chemotherapy reaches 95 %, however, despite the significant success achieved, the problem of refractoriness/relapse remains very relevant. A standard approach to the treatment of refractory/recurrent Hodgkin's lymphoma among young patients with preserved general status and chemoresponsive to salvage therapy tumor is high-dose consolidation chemotherapy followed by transplantation of autologous hematopoietic stem cells. The intensification of chemotherapy regimens is highly difficult task for a doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic, which requires careful assessment of a risk-benefit ratio.In current conditions, new targeted and immune drugs are used to overcome resistance and reduce toxicity among pretreated patients, which allows not only to improve the results of a treatment, but also to preserve the high quality of life among patients with extremely unfavorable prognosis.We show our experience of using a checkpoint inhibitor in combination with a dose-intensive regimen of DHAP (dexamethasone, cytarabine, cisplatin) in the treatment of a refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma followed by high-dose consolidation chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation, among patients complicated with a new coronavirus infection in the post-transplant period.

Keywords

• hodgkin's lymphoma
• primary refractoriness
• immune checkpoint inhibitor
• covid-19
• salvage therapy