title: Checkpoint inhibitors and radiation treatment in Hodgkin's lymphoma : New study concepts of the German Hodgkin Study Group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) have a good prognosis even in advanced stages. However, combined chemo- and radiotherapy, as the standard of care, is also associated with treatment-related toxicities such as organ damage, secondary neoplasias, infertility, or fatigue and long-term fatigue. Many patients suffer from this burden although their cHL was cured. Therefore, the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors like anti-PD1/PD-L1 antibodies in the treatment of solid cancers and also in HL offers new options. A remarkable and durable response rate with a favorable toxicity profile was observed in heavily pretreated cHL patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Planning to perform prospective randomized clinical trials in the content of radio-immune treatment in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), we transferred the results of preliminary clinical studies and basic research in clinical relevant study concepts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on these promising early phase trial data, the German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG) will investigate innovative treatment regimens in upcoming phase II trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The therapeutic efficacy and potential synergies of anti-PD1 antibodies in combination with chemo- or radiotherapy will be investigated in various settings of HL.
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Radiooncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. christian.baues@uk-koeln.de.|German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. christian.baues@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baues
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Radiooncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Semrau
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiooncology, University hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: U S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Gaipl
authors.affiliation: German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bröckelmann
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Radiooncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenbrock
authors.affiliation: German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engert
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Radiooncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marnitz
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D005858:Germany; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000639:trends; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000639:trends; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
keywords: Abscopal effect; Immune modulation; Organs at risk; Programmed cell death protein 1; Radio-immune therapy