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Immunotherapy plus chemotherapy beat the previous best regimen with far less nerve damage, in the first Hodgkin trial to enrol children and adults together; approved March 2026.
1-year PFS 94% vs 86%; 2-year PFS 92% vs 83% (HR 0.45, NEJM 2024). Peripheral neuropathy 28.1% vs 54.2%; fewer treatment discontinuations. Radiotherapy given to <1%. FDA approval 20 March 2026 for ages 12+. Now the frontline standard for advanced-stage disease in North America; HD21's BrECADD is the European alternative.
Numbers are from the trial as recorded here; see the source links in the table below. This is orientation, not medical advice: ask your team how closely the trial population matches you.
994 enrolled.
| Endpoint | Arm | n | Value | HR (95% CI) | p | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progression-free survival at 2 yearsprimary | Nivolumab-AVD | 489 | 92% | 0.45 (0.3 to 0.65) | <0.001 | link |
| BV-AVD | 487 | 83% | ||||
| Any-grade peripheral neuropathy | Nivolumab-AVD | - | 28.1% | - | - | link |
| BV-AVD | - | 54.2% |
The full inclusion and exclusion criteria are on the registry record. Read 2026-10-07. Recruiting overall does not mean a particular site is open; ask the study team.
ClinicalTrials.gov data courtesy of the US National Library of Medicine.
S1826 moved checkpoint blockade into first-line Hodgkin lymphoma and made N-AVD a preferred regimen for advanced disease in patients from adolescence to older age, while removing radiotherapy for most. It also showed the value of a single trial spanning paediatric and adult groups. Longer follow-up is needed for overall survival and late immune effects in young patients.
ECHELON-1 made a targeted antibody-drug conjugate part of first-line Hodgkin therapy and eventually showed that this saves lives, not just relapses. It set the reference arm against which nivolumab-AVD (SWOG S1826) and BrECADD (HD21) were later compared. Neuropathy is the main price and needs proactive dose modification.
Shares Kara M. Kelly, SWOG S1826: nivolumab plus AVD chemotherapy versus brentuximab-AVD for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma in adolescents and adults, Brentuximab vedotin, Children's Oncology Group (COG).
Shares Escalated chemotherapy or ABVD in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma: more cures, more late harm, and what the interim scan changed, ECHELON-1: brentuximab vedotin replacing bleomycin in first-line chemotherapy for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma, British and American lymphoma practice: where they differ, and why, SWOG S1826: nivolumab plus AVD chemotherapy versus brentuximab-AVD for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma in adolescents and adults.
Shares Escalated chemotherapy or ABVD in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma: more cures, more late harm, and what the interim scan changed, ECHELON-1: brentuximab vedotin replacing bleomycin in first-line chemotherapy for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma, SWOG S1826: nivolumab plus AVD chemotherapy versus brentuximab-AVD for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma in adolescents and adults, Brentuximab vedotin.
Shares PD-1 blockade + AVD chemotherapy, Hodgkin lymphoma, Nivolumab, Immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Shares Brentuximab vedotin, Advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (stage III to IV), Children's Oncology Group (COG), Doxorubicin.
Shares Brentuximab vedotin, Advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (stage III to IV), Doxorubicin, Hodgkin lymphoma.
Shares Brentuximab vedotin, Advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (stage III to IV), Doxorubicin, Hodgkin lymphoma.
Shares ECHELON-1: brentuximab vedotin replacing bleomycin in first-line chemotherapy for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma, Brentuximab vedotin, Hodgkin lymphoma.
Every source this page cites, grouped by who published it. Grouping is read from the web address, not assigned by hand.
A source that has moved or gone is reported by the weekly link check. /audit/