[Treatment of moderate-grade and high-grade malignant lymphoma with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

Background & Objective: High dose chemotherapy (HDCT) supported by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is one of the most effective approaches for the chemo-sensitive lymphoma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of HDCT combined with radiotherapy supported by HSCT in treatment of poor- prognostic moderate-grade and high-grade malignant lymphoma.

Methods: Eleven patients [11 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and 2 cases of recurrent Hodgkin's lymphoma (HD)] were enrolled from December 1995 to May 2001. Status on ASCT was 8 cases with 1st complete remission (CR(1)), 4 cases with second complete remission (CR2), 1 case with second partial remission (PR2). The preparative regimens consisted of HDCT alone (4 patients), HDCT with involved-field (IF) radiotherapy (6 patients), total body irradiation (TBI) with HDCT (3 patients). Two patients were supported by bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) and 11 by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT).

Results: The numbers of mono-nuclear cell (MNC) and granulocyte- macrophage colony-forming cells (CFU-GM) reinfused were 2.55 (range, 2.07-3.31) x 10(9)/L, 1.43 (range, 0.6-2.36) x 10(9)/L in this study, respectively. Hematopoietic reconstitution was observed in all patients when they were followed-up on October 2001. WBC>or=1.0 x 10(9)/L and Platelet >50 x 10(9)/L were at day 6 (range,7-35) and day 8 (range,6-32), respectively. The median CR duration was 16 months (range, 4-57 months). The 1- and 3-year survival rates were 76.9% and 46.2%, respectively.

Conclusion: HDCT with ASCT is valuable to treatment in patients with chemo-sensitive moderate-grade and high-grade NHL and recurrent HD.