High-dose therapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation as salvage treatment for AIDS-related lymphoma: long-term results of the Italian Cooperative Group on AIDS and Tumors (GICAT) study with analysis of prognostic factors.
After the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), intensive treatment, including high-dose therapy (HDT) and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), has become feasible in HIV-positive patients with Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin (NHL) lymphoma. Herein, we report the long-term results, on an intention-to-treat basis, of a prospective study on HDT and PBSCT in 50 HIV-positive HAART-responding patients with refractory/relapsed lymphoma. After debulking therapy, 2 patients had early toxic deaths, 10 had chemoresistant disease, 6 failed stem cell mobilization, 1 refused collection, and 4 progressed soon after PBSC harvest. Twenty-seven actually received transplant. Twenty-one patients are alive and disease-free after a median follow-up of 44 months (OS, 74.6%; PFS, 75.9%). Only lymphoma response significantly affected OS after transplantation. In multivariate analyses both lymphoma stage and low CD4 count negatively influenced the possibility to receive transplant. Median OS of all 50 eligible patients was 33 months (OS, 49.8%; PFS, 48.9%). Low CD4 count, marrow involvement, and poor performance status independently affected survival. PBSCT is a highly effective salvage treatment for chemosensitive AIDS-related lymphoma. It seems rational to explore its use earlier during the course of lymphoma to increase the proportion of patients who can actually receive transplant.
Re
Alessandro
A
Division of Hematology, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy. sandrore@aruba.it
Michieli
Mariagrazia
M
Casari
Salvatore
S
Allione
Bernardino
B
Cattaneo
Chiara
C
Rupolo
Maurizio
M
Spina
Michele
M
Manuele
Rosa
R
Vaccher
Emanuela
E
Mazzucato
Mario
M
Abbruzzese
Luciano
L
Ferremi
Pierino
P
Carosi
Giampiero
G
Tirelli
Umberto
U
Rossi
Giuseppe
G
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015996:Survival Rate; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous