High-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for follicular lymphoma undergoing transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Eur J Haematol. 2008 Dec;81(6):425-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0609.2008.01146.x. Epub 2008 Sep 4.

Abstract

The transformation of follicular lymphoma (FL) to high-grade histology occurs in up to 70% of patients. The role of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in transformed FL is poorly defined. Twenty-four FL patients with histologically confirmed transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma underwent unpurged autologous HSCT at our institution. Their median age was 56 yr. The median number of prior chemotherapies was 2 (range 1-6). Thirteen patients had residual nodal disease measuring more than 2 cm and four patients had bulky disease at the time of HSCT. Six patients had refractory disease at transplantation. At a median follow-up of 38 months, 3-yr progression-free survival following autologous HSCT was 40%. The 3-yr overall survival was 52%. The cumulative incidence of relapse and non-relapse mortality rate was 41% and 25%, respectively.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / mortality
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / therapy*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / mortality
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rituximab
  • Salvage Therapy / mortality
  • Survival Rate
  • Transplantation Conditioning*
  • Transplantation, Autologous

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Rituximab