Brentuximab vedotin treatment associated with acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathies

Brentuximab vedotin treatment associated with acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathies:

Introduction

Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is an antibody-drug conjugate composed by an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody and the anti-microtubule agent monomethyl auristatin E, used for the treatment of relapsed/refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Peripheral neuropathy is a frequent adverse event of BV treatment, affecting up to 60% to 70% of patients.1 It usually consists of a mild axonal, length-dependent, sensory neuropathy, characterised by numbness and tingling of fingers and toes,1 2 related to the toxic effect of monomethyl auristatin E on axonal microtubules.3 Nonetheless, immune-mediated peripheral neuropathies characterised by prominent motor impairment have also been described,4 suggesting that, similarly to other antineoplastic agents, BV might have the potential to induce or exacerbate inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathies. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy associated with BV treatment.

Patients and methods

We performed a retrospective research in seven French...