This study provides proof of principle that different tumor types that express CD30 have a good chance of responding to anti-CD30 treatment. Brentuximab achieves good response rates of about 76% in mycosis fungoides and 85% in [anaplastic T-cell lymphoma]. In [mycosis fungoides] and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, response rates were slightly lower and duration of response also slightly lower than in other CD30-positive lymphoid malignancies with an FDA-approved indication,” said Anas Younes, MD, Chief of the Lymphoma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York.

“Brentuximab vedotin is a promising treatment strategy for [cutaneous T-cell lymphoma] and lymphoproliferative CD30-positive malignancies. The ongoing phase III trial comparing brentuximab vedotin with investigator’s choice in patients with relapsed CD30-positive [cutaneous T-cell lymphoma] will certainly clarify the potential role of brentuximab vedotin in this patient population,” Dr. Younes commented.

To move the drug forward, the next steps are to study brentuximab in combination with other drugs to increase response rates and duration of response in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and other lymphoproliferative CD30-positive cutaneous malignancies and/or to identify a biomarker for patients who benefit from the drug within this subgroup.

“Identifying a biomarker is a bit more challenging than doing combination studies,” Dr. Younes noted. ■

Disclosure: Dr. Younes has received honorarium from Seattle Genetics and Millennium.