Sintilimab as salvage treatment in an HIV patient with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin: a case report

The prognosis of relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma companied with Human immunodeficiency virus (R/R HIV-cHL) is poor due to insufficient effective treatments. Nowadays, immune checkpoint blockade is an important new treatment option for patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), but rare cases have been reported in R/R HIV-cHL. We present a case of R/R HIV-cHL young patient, who has been successfully treated with sintilimab without significant side effects. In May 2018, we received an Hodgkin lymphoma companied with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIVcHL) patient. At first, we gave him ABVD regime chemotherapy. In April 2019, after 6 cycles of ABVD and radiation, we evaluated the effect of treatment and found that the disease actually progressed. The patient refused auto stem cell transplant, so the second line GDP regime chemotherapy was administrated. After five cycles of the treatment, in September 2019, a PET-CT examination found a new emerging enlargement lymph node in the retroperitoneum and with an elevated SUV. In October 2019, after obtaining the patient's consent, we gave him PD-1 immune checkpoint treatment. And 9 cycles later, PET-CT showed that the enlargement lymph node found last time in the retroperitoneum had disappeared completely, with no other lesions were found. All the courses of treatment went through smoothly, and no severe toxicity happened. Immune checkpoint blockade is successful in R/R HIV-cHL, the toxicities are mild and accepted.