Prof Marek Trněný speaks to ecancer about the phase 2 CHEPA study that evaluated the addition of etoposide to brentuximab vedotin plus CHP (CHEP) in previously untreated CD30-positive PTCL patients eligible for transplant.

The regimen achieved a high complete metabolic response rate of 76% and an overall response rate of 91%, with particularly strong outcomes in ALCL patients. At a median follow-up of 19 months, progression-free and overall survival rates were encouraging, supporting the efficacy of this intensified approach.

Prof Trněný says that circulating tumour DNA analysis correlated with disease burden and may offer future prognostic value. While grade 3–4 haematologic toxicities were common, treatment was manageable with no treatment-related deaths and no severe neuropathy reported.

He highlights that these findings suggest that adding etoposide to the brentuximab vedotin backbone enhances anti-lymphoma activity while maintaining an acceptable safety profile in CD30+ PTCL.