title: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for lymphoma.
abstract: For patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's or non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a treatment option when autologous HSCT fails to achieve durable remission or is deemed inappropriate. Allogeneic HSCT can result in long-term survival even in patients with refractory lymphomas. The efficacy of allogeneic HSCT is attributed, at least in part, to an immune-mediated graft-versus-lymphoma (GVL) effect that can also be associated with significant toxicity resulting from graft-versus-host disease. However, clinical evidence of a potent GVL effect is inconsistent. Reduced-intensity conditioning before allogeneic HSCT can facilitate the use of this treatment in older patients and those at high risk. The decrease in toxicity with reduced-intensity regimens may be associated with a loss of antitumor effects. Patients with lymphoma should be selected for allogeneic HSCT on the basis of characteristics that strongly influence transplant outcomes, including histology, chemosensitivity, and donor source.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA. robert.dean@nih.gov
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bishop
mesh_terms: D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D020350:Graft vs Tumor Effect; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000628:therapy; D020522:Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell / Q000628:therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000628:therapy; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome