The clinical development of checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapy has ushered in an exciting era of anticancer therapy. Despite many reports on anti PD-1 antibody therapy for the treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), the risk of infection among patients receiving nivolumab (nivo) is still unknown.
Between 2016 and 2018, 112 patients with r/r HL were observed and treated with nivo (3 mg/kg) in CIC 725. The median number of nivo courses received was 20 (range, 1-30). 18 patients underwent allo-HSCT after therapy with nivo. The median follow-up period was 1.4 years (1 month-2.6 year). All patients had a standard anti-infective prophylaxis and treatment according to the international guidelines.
During salvage treatment with nivo of r/r HL 11 (10%) patients had documented infection episodes (n = 16): bacterial infections – 37.5% (n = 6), invasive fungal diseases (IFD) – 25% (n = 4) and viral infections – 37.5% (n = 6). The median time to infection episodes was 98 days (12-365) after first nivo administration. Incidence of bacterial infections in study cohort was 5.3% (n = 6). Two patients developed pneumonia, others with one: sinusitis, meningitis cause by
Incidence of infectious complications in r/r HL treated with nivo was 10%. Etiology of infectious complications presented by bacterial infections –37.5%, invasive fungal diseases – 25% and viral infections – 37.5%. Primary chemoresistance was a risk factor for infection complications. Wherewith infections could be managed successfully and carry favorable prognosis.
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