Mitoxantrone-melphalan conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in relapsed/refractory lymphoma

Abstract

Background/aim: High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has become thestandard approach for patients with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).In this study, we report the outcome of the mitoxantrone-melphalan conditioning regimen for lymphoma.Materials and methods: The study group included 53 patients who were relapsed/refractory HL (n = 14) and NHL (n =39) and received mitoxantrone and melphalan followed by ASCT. The transplant regimen consisted of mitoxantrone (60mg/m2) and melphalan (180 mg/m2) followed by peripheral blood stem cell infusion (PBSC).Results: Prior to high-dose chemotherapy, 37.7% of the patients were in complete remission (CR) and 45.3% were inpartial remission (PR), and 17% had stable or progressive disease. After high-dose chemotherapy and PBSC, 44 out of 51patients achieved CR (86.2%). CR was achieved in 24 out of 33 patients (72.7%) who were transplanted in a marginallyactive phase of the disease. At a median followup of 25.4 months (1.8–131.3 months) after ASCT, 13 patients relapsed/progressed and 8 patients died. The estimated 2-year overall survival (OS) was 81.9%, and event-free survival (EFS) was59.3%.Conclusion: High-dose chemotherapy followed by ASCT is an effective conditioning regimen in relapsed/refractorylymphoma patients who are undergoing ASCT.