FIL Study on ABVD DD-DI as Upfront Therapy in HL.

The study is devoted to patients affected with advanced stage (IIB-IV) Hodgkin Lymphoma. The study aims to compare the efficacy of two alternative ABVD-based strategies, the first one (Comparator arm) based on a PET-2-adaptation, the second (Experimental arm) relying on a straight dose- and time-intensified schedule, devoid of any PET-adaptation. In the Comparator arm, the patients will receive two courses of standard ABVD (ABVD-28). Those with a PET-2 negative scan (Deauville Score 1-3) will proceed with additional 4 ABVD courses while those with a PET-2-positive scan (Deauville score 4-5) will be diverted towards a deferred intensification with either escalated BEACOPP or HDT plus ASCR , according to the preference of the Center. In the Experimental arm, patients are treated with three cycles of a dose-dense/dose-intense ABVD (ABVD DD-DI) \[e.g. a modified ABVD including the single escalation of doxorubicin to 35 mg/m2 (70 mg/m2 per cycle) and a three-weekly recycle time for all drugs (e.g. administration of all 4 drugs at days 1 and 11 of each cycle)\]. Those with a progressive disease or non-responder patients according to PET/CT imaging at interim evaluation (after cycle 3) as categorized with Lugano 2014 Classification will be diverted to salvage strategies. The other patients will receive one additional course of ABVD DD-DI followed by two courses of dose-dense three-weekly ABVD (ABVD DD) (e.g. administration of all four drugs at days 1 and 11 of each cycle at the conventional doses, including doxorubicin at 25 mg/m2). In both treatment arms 30 Gy Involved Site Radiotherapy (ISRT) is scheduled for those patients PET-negative (DS=3) with residual tumor rests ≥ 2.5 cm and for PET-positive patients in PR (DS= 4 or 5) regardless of the size of the rests. The single reference dose is 2.0 Gy daily and fractionation is five times per week. Only in the Comparator arm the patients in CR (final score 1-3 according to 5PS by central review panel decision) will receive adjuvant ISRT at the initial bulky site(s) for a total reference dose of 30 Gy in single daily fractions of 2.0 Gy, five times weekly. Blinded independent central reviewing for PET imaging will supervise response categorization at interim and final PET/CT evaluation.