ASCO 2018 | Final analysis of the AHL2011 LYSA study

On Sunday 3^rd June an oral abstract session took place at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Abstract 7503 was presented by Olivier Casasnovas, CHU Le Bocage Service d’Hématologie Clinique, Dijon, on the AHL2011 phase III LYSA study (NCT01358747). This study compared early PET-driven treatment de-escalation to a not PET-monitored strategy in patients with previously untreated advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL).

The study aimed to assess whether interim PET could identify patients with a better outcome to be given de-escalation treatment after treatment with upfront BEACOPP. A total of 823 patients were randomized to the standard arm (n = 413) and the experimental arm (n = 410).

Key Findings

• After a median follow-up of 50.4 months the 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) for the experimental arm was 87.1% and the 5-year PFS was 85.7%. The 4-year PFS for the standard arm was 87.4% and the 5-year PFS was 86.2%
• The 4-year overall survival (OS) for the experimental arm was 97.1% and the 5-year OS was 96.4%. The 4-year OS for the standard arm was 96.9% and the 5-year OS 95.2%
• From the total patient population 795 patients were evaluable at PET2, 87% were negative and 13% were positive. At PET4 759 patients were evaluable, 94% were negative and 6% were positive
• The PFS for the PET-driven strategy at 4-years for Pet2 negative and PET 4 negative was 92.5% and 90.9% at 5 years

Dr. Casasnovas concluded that PET performed after 2 cycles of BEACOPPesc can be safely used to guide subsequent treatment that allows to reduce treatment-related toxicity in most patients with similar outcomes to standard treatment. See below for an interview with Dr Casasnovas where he describes the key outcomes and results of the study.