UF Health is at the forefront of clinical trials aimed at reducing the adverse long-term effects of Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, a cancer with high survival rates among young adults but significant risks of secondary cancers, heart disease, and infertility due to standard chemotherapy and radiation. These trials explore less-toxic treatments, including immunotherapy, to improve patients' long-term health and quality of life.
Immunotherapy Trials Offer Hope for Reduced Toxicity
UF Health is testing novel approaches using immunotherapy drugs like brentuximab vedotin and nivolumab. Brentuximab vedotin is a targeted therapy that delivers chemotherapy directly to cancerous Reed-Sternberg cells, while nivolumab blocks cancer cells' ability to evade the immune system. These drugs have shown promise in relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma patients and are now being evaluated in patients with standard or lower-risk disease.
William Slayton, MD, a pediatric oncologist at UF Health, stated, "We’re trying to fit the treatment to the patient like a glove," emphasizing the personalized approach of these trials.
Tailoring Treatment to Minimize Side Effects
The clinical trials are designed to minimize exposure to toxic therapies. One strategy involves omitting bleomycin, a chemotherapy drug known to cause pulmonary fibrosis. Additionally, patients who respond rapidly to chemotherapy may avoid radiation altogether. Risk stratification is used to determine the intensity of treatment, with lower-risk patients receiving less chemotherapy.
"The trial tests whether a chemotherapy backbone is enough by itself to cure the majority of patients," Dr. Slayton explained. "Through a scheme that classifies patients’ risk, lower-risk patients get less chemotherapy than higher-risk patients, and a PET scan determines who gets radiation. We want to achieve the cure with fewer side effects."
Patient Advocacy and Personal Experience
Emilie Lynch, a clinical pharmacy specialist at UF Health and a Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, channels her personal experience into improving treatment for young patients. Having faced the long-term effects of cancer treatment herself, including the risk of secondary cancers and other complications, she actively participates in developing clinical trials and supporting patients.
"I’m able to empathize with what patients are going through because I went through it myself," Emilie said. "It gives me such a passion and desire to do the absolute best I can for these patients."
