A Trial Comparing Chemotherapy Versus Novel Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (Pembrolizumab) Plus Chemotherapy in Treating Relapsed/Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

This phase III trial compares chemotherapy versus an immune checkpoint inhibitor drug called pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in treating patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma that has come back (relapsed) or that does not respond to treatment (refractory). The usual approach for patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma is treatment with standard chemotherapy, including drugs that are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved. If this treatment puts a patient into remission, high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant may be used to increase the likelihood of a cure. Hodgkin lymphoma is capable of inhibiting the immune system from killing it. Pembrolizumab is a checkpoint inhibitor that may be able to stop this inhibition, allowing the immune system to attack the lymphoma.