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Pembrolizumab Before and After Autologous Stem Cell Transplant for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Trial Status: active

This phase II trial tests how well pembrolizumab before and after an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) works in treating classical Hodgkin lymphoma that has come back after a period of improvement (relapsed) or that does not respond to treatment (refractory). Typical treatment for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma includes ASCT or immunotherapies. Immunotherapy with pembrolizumab, may induce changes in the body's immune system and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. ASCT is a procedure in which blood-forming stem cells (cells from which all blood cells develop) are removed, stored, and later given back to the same person. Giving pembrolizumab before an ASCT may help kill tumor cells in the body and help make room in the patient's bone marrow for new blood-forming stem cells to grow. After pembrolizumab, stem cells are collected from the patients blood and stored. More chemotherapy with carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan (BEAM) is then given to prepare the bone marrow for the stem cell transplant. The stem cells are then returned to the patient to replace the blood-forming cells that were destroyed by the chemotherapy. Maintenance therapy with pembrolizumab following an ASCT, can help prevent or delay cancer from coming back. Giving pembrolizumab before and after an ASCT may be better at treating relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma.