The number needed to treat (NNT) with brentuximab vedotin consolidation therapy post-autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) versus placebo in the phase 3 AETHERA trial to avoid one additional event of disease progression/death was evaluated. AETHERA included 329 Hodgkin lymphoma patients at increased risk of progression post-ASCT who received brentuximab vedotin 1.8 mg/kg (n = 165) or placebo (n = 164) on day 1 of each 21-d cycle (up to 16 cycles). Over 60 months, the NNT with brentuximab vedotin ranged from 4.08 to 7.79 for the intent-to-treat population, 3.18-6.07 for patients with ≥2 risk factors, and 2.98-5.65 for patients with ≥3 risk factors. At various time points, and dependent on the risk group, 3-8 patients would need to be treated with brentuximab vedotin consolidation therapy to prevent a disease progression/death, compared with placebo. Patients with increased risk of relapse may benefit most from brentuximab vedotin.
Keywords: Brentuximab vedotin; CD30; Hodgkin lymphoma; hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; numbers needed to treat.