Preclinical studies suggest that Reed–Sternberg cells exploit the programmed death 1 (PD-1) pathway to evade immune detection. In classic Hodgkin's lymphoma, alterations in chromosome 9p24.1 increase the abundance of the PD-1 ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, and promote their induction through Janus kinase (JAK)–signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling. We hypothesized that nivolumab, a PD-1–blocking antibody, could inhibit tumor immune evasion in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PD-1 Blockade with Nivolumab in Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin's Lymphoma