Early interim PET scan in Hodgkin lymphoma: where do we stand?

Positron emission tomography using [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG-PET) is an important tool for staging and treatment response assessment in malignant lymphomas. In Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), FDG-PET precisely predicts the therapy response when performed very early during standard ABVD chemotherapy. However, it is unclear whether FDG-PET retains this role if therapy is changed as a consequence of the scan, or if performed during a more intensive chemotherapy regimen such as BEACOPPesc, which is used for HL. This brief review presents the up-to-date evidence for the use and interpretation of early interim FDG-PET in HL, including recent preliminary results on early interim FDG-PET during BEACOPPesc therapy.