Evaluating the Addition of Maintenance Immunotherapy Compared to the Usual Treatment of Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Alone for High-risk Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma

This phase II trial compares the impact of brentuximab vedotin and nivolumab after radiation to standard of care high dose chemotherapy (HDT)-autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in standard-risk patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma that has come back after a period of improvement (relapsed) or that has not responded to previous treatment (refractory). In addition, the phase III trial will compare the effect of pembrolizumab after HDT-ASCT to standard of care HDT-ASCT alone in high-risk patients with relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma. Brentuximab vedotin is in a class of medications called antibody-drug conjugates. It is made of a monoclonal antibody called brentuximab that is linked to a cytotoxic agent called vedotin. Brentuximab attaches to CD30 positive lymphoma cells in a targeted way and delivers vedotin to kill them. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. An ASCT is a procedure in which blood-forming stem cells (cells from which all blood cells develop) are removed, stored, and later given back to the same person. Giving HDT before an ASCT helps kill cancer cells in the body and helps make room in the patient's bone marrow for new blood-forming cells (stem cells) to grow. Radiation therapy (RT) uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Giving brentuximab vedotin and nivolumab after radiation may be safe, tolerable and more effective than standard of care HDT-ASCT in treating patients with standard risk relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma. In addition, giving pembrolizumab after standard of care HDT-ASCT may be safe and tolerable and more effective than HDT-ASCT alone in treating high-risk patients with relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma.