Brentuximab vedotin

Indications and Usage

Brentuximab vedotin is FDA approved for the treatment of:

• Adult patients with previously untreated Stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine. 
• Pediatric patients 2 years and older with previously untreated high risk classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), in combination with doxorubicin, vincristine, etoposide, prednisone, and cyclophosphamide. 
• Adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) at high risk of relapse or progression as post-autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) consolidation. 
• Adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) after failure of auto-HSCT or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not auto-HSCT candidates. 
• Adult patients with previously untreated systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL) or other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL), including angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma and PTCL not otherwise specified, in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone. 
• Adult patients with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL) after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. 
• Adult patients with primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (pcALCL) or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides (MF) who have received prior systemic therapy.
   

Side effects needing medical attention

Peripheral neuropathy; infusion reactions; low white cell counts; fatigue; nausea; anemia; upper respiratory tract infection; diarrhea; fever; rash; low platelet counts; cough; vomiting.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare but serious brain infection that can result in death, has been reported with brentuximab vedotin.

The FDA warns against use of brentuximab vedotin with the cancer drug bleomycin due to increased risk of pulmonary toxicity.