Rise to the challenge of classical
Hodgkin lymphoma with ADCETRIS
For adults as a first treatment for Stage 3 or 4 classical Hodgkin
lymphoma. When given in combination with a chemotherapy called
AVD (Adriamycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine), ADCETRIS was more
effective than chemo alone. ADCETRIS plus AVD reduced the risk of
cancer progression, or receiving additional anticancer therapy, or
death when compared to traditional chemotherapy.
82% of patients treated with ADCETRIS plus AVD did not experience cancer progression or
death, and did not need additional anticancer therapy compared to 77% of those treated
with ABVD (Adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine).
follow-up data
Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), also called Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, or Hodgkin's, is a cancer of the blood. It starts when lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, grow out of control.
People with classical Hodgkin lymphoma have abnormal white blood cells called Reed-Sternberg cells in their lymph nodes. These cells usually have a special protein on their surface called CD30, which is a key marker of Hodgkin's. In fact, CD30 is present in approximately 95% of all cases of Hodgkin lymphoma.
Click here to learn more about how ADCETRIS is designed to attach to CD30 to help fight Hodgkin lymphoma.
Relapsed classical
Hodgkin lymphoma
For those who have classical Hodgkin lymphoma that has come back after treatment, see how ADCETRIS helped.
After stem cell replacement
For those who have classical Hodgkin lymphoma at high risk of coming back or getting worse after a stem cell transplant, see how ADCETRIS helped.
Your first treatment choice matters
ADCETRIS plus AVD is a newer alternative to ABVD chemotherapy for patients treating their Stage 3 or 4 Hodgkin lymphoma for the first time.
The Treatment Decision Guide reviews several aspects of these two regimens so you can feel confident discussing options with your doctor.
Watch stories from people
treated with ADCETRIS
Every ADCETRIS treatment story is unique. Learn about the journey from diagnosis to treatment from ADCETRIS patients
and their families, in their own words.
Learn how David and his doctor chose ADCETRIS 
ADCETRIS will not not work for everyone.
Why ADCETRIS is different
Learn how effective ADCETRIS was in clinical studies and how it works.
See the results of treatment
How ADCETRIS is given
Learn more about what you can expect before starting ADCETRIS treatment.
Review treatment information
Resources
Find resources, financial assistance information, and ways to connect with others.
See what’s available
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about ADCETRIS?
- PROGRESSIVE MULTIFOCAL LEUKOENCEPHALOPATHY (PML): Patients treated with ADCETRIS can have a rare, serious brain infection called PML that can lead to death. Tell your doctor immediately if you have mood or behavior changes, confusion, problems in thinking or loss of memory, changes in vision, speech, or walking, or decreased strength or weakness on one side of the body. PML may also be caused by prior treatments or diseases that weakened your immune system.
- Do not take ADCETRIS if you are receiving bleomycin
What are the other possible serious side effects of ADCETRIS?
- Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy). Tell your doctor if you have any numbness or tingling in your hands or feet or any muscle weakness.
- Allergic and infusion reactions. Tell your doctor if you experience symptoms of fever, chills, rash, or breathing problems within 24 hours of infusion. If you have a reaction, you may be given medicines before your ADCETRIS treatment.
- Blood problems. Serious cases, including death, of fever with a low number of white blood cells have occurred with ADCETRIS. Serious cases of a low number of white blood cells, a low number of platelets, or a low number of red blood cells can occur.
Your doctor will do blood tests to check your blood cell levels during ADCETRIS treatment. Your doctor may give you a medicine called G-CSF. Tell your doctor if you have a fever of 100.5°F or higher, chills, cough, or pain when you urinate.
- Infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses have been reported.
- Tumor lysis syndrome is caused by the fast breakdown of cancer cells. Your doctor will monitor you for symptoms.
- Patients with severe kidney disease or moderate or severe liver disease may have more side effects and deaths than patients without kidney or liver problems.
- Liver problems. Serious liver problems, including death, can occur. Tell your doctor if you feel tired, do not feel like eating, have upper stomach pain, dark urine, or yellow skin and eyes (jaundice).
- Lung problems. Serious lung problems, including death, can occur. Tell your doctor if you have a new cough, a cough that gets worse, or feel out of breath.
- Skin problems called Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis can happen. Tell your doctor if you have rash, hives, sores in your mouth, or blistering or peeling skin.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) problems. Serious cases, including death, related to the pancreas, stomach, intestine, and colon can happen. If you have lymphoma that involves your stomach or intestine, you could have a higher risk of GI problems. Tell your doctor if you have severe stomach pain, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- High blood sugar. Your doctor will test your blood during ADCETRIS treatment. Tell your doctor if you need to urinate more often than usual, are very thirsty, or have blurry vision.
The most common side effects in any study of ADCETRIS include:
- nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
- feeling tired
- nausea
- diarrhea
- a low number of white blood cells
- infection in the nose or sinuses
- fever
- constipation
- vomiting
- hair loss
- weight loss
- upper stomach pain
- a low number of red blood cells
- sores or swelling in the mouth and/or in the digestive tract
- decrease in platelets
- fever with a low number of white blood cells
These are not all the possible side effects of ADCETRIS. Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. If you have certain side effects, your doctor may lower your dose, delay, or stop your ADCETRIS treatment.
What should I tell my doctor before I start treatment with ADCETRIS?
- All your medical conditions, including if you have kidney, liver, or lung problems, an infection, or diabetes.
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. ADCETRIS may harm your unborn baby. Females who are able to become pregnant: Your doctor should give you a pregnancy test before starting ADCETRIS treatment. You should use effective birth control during ADCETRIS treatment and for 6 months after your last dose of ADCETRIS. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during ADCETRIS treatment. Men with female partners who can get pregnant should use effective birth control during ADCETRIS treatment and for 6 months after the last dose.
- If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed during ADCETRIS treatment.
- All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. ADCETRIS and certain other medicines can affect each other.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Facts about ADCETRIS, including IMPORTANT WARNING.
What is ADCETRIS?
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about ADCETRIS?
- PROGRESSIVE MULTIFOCAL LEUKOENCEPHALOPATHY (PML): Patients treated with ADCETRIS can have a rare, serious brain infection called PML that can lead to death. Tell your doctor immediately if you have mood or behavior changes, confusion, problems in thinking or loss of memory, changes in vision, speech, or walking, or decreased strength or weakness on one side of the body. PML may also be caused by prior treatments or diseases that weakened your immune system.
- Do not take ADCETRIS if you are receiving bleomycin
What are the other possible serious side effects of ADCETRIS?
- Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy). Tell your doctor if you have any numbness or tingling in your hands or feet or any muscle weakness.
- Allergic and infusion reactions. Tell your doctor if you experience symptoms of fever, chills, rash, or breathing problems within 24 hours of infusion. If you have a reaction, you may be given medicines before your ADCETRIS treatment.
- Blood problems. Serious cases, including death, of fever with a low number of white blood cells have occurred with ADCETRIS. Serious cases of a low number of white blood cells, a low number of platelets, or a low number of red blood cells can occur.
Your doctor will do blood tests to check your blood cell levels during ADCETRIS treatment. Your doctor may give you a medicine called G-CSF. Tell your doctor if you have a fever of 100.5°F or higher, chills, cough, or pain when you urinate.
- Infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses have been reported.
- Tumor lysis syndrome is caused by the fast breakdown of cancer cells. Your doctor will monitor you for symptoms.
- Patients with severe kidney disease or moderate or severe liver disease may have more side effects and deaths than patients without kidney or liver problems.
- Liver problems. Serious liver problems, including death, can occur. Tell your doctor if you feel tired, do not feel like eating, have upper stomach pain, dark urine, or yellow skin and eyes (jaundice).
- Lung problems. Serious lung problems, including death, can occur. Tell your doctor if you have a new cough, a cough that gets worse, or feel out of breath.
- Skin problems called Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis can happen. Tell your doctor if you have rash, hives, sores in your mouth, or blistering or peeling skin.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) problems. Serious cases, including death, related to the pancreas, stomach, intestine, and colon can happen. If you have lymphoma that involves your stomach or intestine, you could have a higher risk of GI problems. Tell your doctor if you have severe stomach pain, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- High blood sugar. Your doctor will test your blood during ADCETRIS treatment. Tell your doctor if you need to urinate more often than usual, are very thirsty, or have blurry vision.
The most common side effects in any study of ADCETRIS include:
- nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
- feeling tired
- nausea
- diarrhea
- a low number of white blood cells
- infection in the nose or sinuses
- fever
- constipation
- vomiting
- hair loss
- weight loss
- upper stomach pain
- a low number of red blood cells
- sores or swelling in the mouth and/or in the digestive tract
- decrease in platelets
- fever with a low number of white blood cells
These are not all the possible side effects of ADCETRIS. Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. If you have certain side effects, your doctor may lower your dose, delay, or stop your ADCETRIS treatment.
What should I tell my doctor before I start treatment with ADCETRIS?
- All your medical conditions, including if you have kidney, liver, or lung problems, an infection, or diabetes.
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. ADCETRIS may harm your unborn baby. Females who are able to become pregnant: Your doctor should give you a pregnancy test before starting ADCETRIS treatment. You should use effective birth control during ADCETRIS treatment and for 6 months after your last dose of ADCETRIS. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during ADCETRIS treatment. Men with female partners who can get pregnant should use effective birth control during ADCETRIS treatment and for 6 months after the last dose.
- If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed during ADCETRIS treatment.
- All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. ADCETRIS and certain other medicines can affect each other.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Facts about ADCETRIS, including IMPORTANT WARNING.
What is ADCETRIS?
