How may I benefit from ADCETRIS?
ECHELON-2 study design
ECHELON-2 was a large clinical study of 452 people that compared the effectiveness and safety of ADCETRIS plus CHP with CHOP chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
- 226 people were given ADCETRIS plus CHP every 3 weeks for up to 6 to 8 cycles
- 226 people were given CHOP chemotherapy every 3 weeks for up to 6 to 8 cycles
Researchers reviewed the progression-free survival (primary endpoint) and overall survival results (secondary endpoint) at approximately 3 years.
Progression-free survival results
People who received ADCETRIS plus CHP experienced more time without their cancer growing or spreading, receiving additional anticancer therapy, or death compared to people treated with CHOP chemotherapy.
- The median time to a patient's cancer growing or spreading, or needing additional anticancer therapy, or death was 48.2 months for those treated with ADCETRIS plus CHP and 20.8 months for those treated with CHOP chemotherapy
- About 57% of the 226 adults treated with ADCETRIS plus CHP did not have their cancer grow or spread, need additional anticancer therapy, or die compared to about 44% of the 226 adults treated with CHOP chemotherapy at 3 years
Overall survival results
Overall survival was significantly higher with ADCETRIS plus CHP compared to those treated with CHOP chemotherapy.
After 3 years, it was estimated that 77% of the 226 patients treated with ADCETRIS plus CHP were still alive compared to 69% of the 226 patients treated with CHOP chemotherapy at 3 years.
Median overall survival was not reached because more than half of the patients in either treatment group were still alive.
Overall reponse rate
More people treated with ADCETRIS plus CHP saw their cancer get smaller or become undetectable compared to those receiving CHOP.
What safety information should I know about ADCETRIS?
The most important serious safety information
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.
These are not the only side effects of ADCETRIS. Always tell your doctor about any side effects you experience.
Most common side effects while taking ADCETRIS plus CHP
In people treated with ADCETRIS plus CHP chemotherapy, the most common side effects that occurred in ≥20% of study patients were low red blood cell count (66%), significantly low number of white blood cells (59%), nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy; PN) (52%), low number of white blood cells called lymphocytes (51%), nausea (46%), diarrhea (38%), feeling tired (35%), sores or swelling in the digestive tract (30%), constipation (29%), fever (26%), hair loss (26%), and vomiting (26%).
The most common serious side effects that occurred in >2% of study patients were significantly low numbers of white blood cells with a fever (14%), pneumonia (5%), fever (4%), and sepsis (a serious response to an infection) (3%).
For more information on side effects, please see the Important Safety Information at the bottom of this page and read the Important Facts about ADCETRIS, including BOXED WARNING.
Tell your doctor about any side effect concerns you have
Your doctor should prescribe granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) along with your ADCETRIS treatment right at the start. G-CSF is a medication that may help reduce the chance of neutropenia (low white blood cell count).
Don’t stop, change, or delay your ADCETRIS plus CHP treatment unless directed by your doctor. Your doctor may take additional steps to help manage side effects, including:
- Reducing your ADCETRIS dosage, or delaying your next dose, until symptoms improve
- Stopping ADCETRIS completely if side effects are severe or do not improve
Learn more about what you can expect before starting ADCETRIS treatment.
Glossary
CHP: A combination of 3 chemotherapies—cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone.
CHOP: A combination of 4 chemotherapies—cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone.
G-CSF: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, a medication that can help boost white blood cell count.
Median: The middle number in a list of numbers.
Overall response rate: The percentage of people in a study or treatment group who have a partial response or complete response to the treatment within a certain period of time. Measuring the overall response rate is one way to see how well a new treatment works.
Overall survival: The length of time that patients remain alive after enrolling in a study.
Progression-free survival: The length of time from the start of treatment a patient lives without cancer progression, death, or receiving another cancer treatment.