mTOR inhibitor in the treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma: a case report

Abstract

Hodgkin' s disease is curable in 90% of the cases diagnosed in early stages (I and II) and in 70% of all patients who suffer from the disease. Refractory disease occurs in 10%-15% of cases and is still a clinical challenge. Its treatment is based on intensive chemotherapy regimens with transplantation, but there are patients who relapse after transplantation who have a poor prognosis. At this point in time, there is a lack of effective treatment options with proven effcacy and there is a real need to investigate new treatment drugs with different mechanisms of action. A persistent activation of mTOR signaling has been identifed in leukemia, Hodgkin' s and non-Hodgkin' s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Everolimus, an mTOR kinase inhibitor, is being used as an option in these cases with encouraging results. Here, the authors report their experience with a patient treated with everolimus. (copyright) 2011 Ibeas et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd.