Real-world treatment patterns and outcomes of brentuximab vedotin–based therapy in CD30-positive lymphomas in China: the prospective BRAVE study

Abstract

To the Editor Brentuximab vedotin (BV), a CD30-directed antibody-drug conjugate, has transformed the treatment landscape through ECHELON trials, including ECHELON-1 in previously untreated advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) [1], ECHELON-2 in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) [2], and ECHELON-3 in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) [3]. Based on these fi ndings, BV-containing regimens have been included in the NCCN, ESMO, and CSCO guidelines as preferred treatment options for advanced cHL and CD30-positive PTCL [4 – 6]. However, Chinese patients were underrepresented in all three trials [1 – 3]. Furthermore, the populations in these studies do not fully re fl ect routine clinical practice. For example, ECHELON-2 included predominantly systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL; 72% of participants) [2]; and the bene fi t of BV-CHP in non-ALCL subtypes has remained unclear. In China, non-sALCL subtypes such as nodal T-follicular helper lymphoma (nTFHL), PTCL not otherwise speci fi ed (PTCL-NOS), and extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma are signi fi cantly more common [7, 8]. In addition, the protocol-de fi ned dosing, fi xed cycle numbers, and standardized supportive care in these trials do not capture the variability inherent in real-world clinical settings. Published real-world studies of BV were retrospective, included a