Radiotherapy Post Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Lymphoma Not Reached Complete Response.

Objective: Anthracycline-based chemotherapy induces 50%–70% of CR in patients with lymphoma, but only 30%–40% of long-term disease-free survival. Salvage chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue is required in patients with aggressive disease or never achieve CR with conventional chemotherapy,but the relapsed rate is still high. The purpose of this study was to evaluate radiotherapy post autologous stem cell transplantation in such group of patients.

Methods: 15 patients who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation during 1992–1998 were enrolled in this study. Conditioning regimen was CBV (cyclophosphomide + carmustine + etoposide). Radiotherapy was started on day +50(31–90). All patients were followed up until January 2005. Kaplan-Mier survival analysis was made by using SPSS10.0 software.

Results: There were 14 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 1 with Hodgkin disease enrolled. Male:female=11:4. Median age was 40 (30–64). At least 6 cycles of induction chemotherapy were given before transplantation. There were 3 patients in progression disease, 1 in stable disease, and 11 in partial remission before transplantation. Three patients received total lymph node irradiation (TLI). Seven patients received TBI(200cGY)+involved field irradiation therapy(IFIT). Five were treated with IFIT. All patients acheaved complete response(including 1 CRu) after radiotherapy. Three patients relapsed. One patient treated with TBI+IFIT relapsed at 6 months later. Two patients treated with IFIT relapsed at 8 and 36 months later respectively. The mean disease-free survival and overall survival were 10.84(SD1.37,95%CI) years and 11.89(SD1.35,95%CI) years respectively. The estimatrd 10-year disease-free survival and Overall survival were both 73%. One patient developed AML at 86 month. Grade III–IV hematologic toxicity was seen in 2 patients.

Conclusions: Post ASCT radiotherapy is safe and tolerated. Relaps rate is low. Patients who received TLI or TBI+IFIT seem to have better outcome than that received IFIT only.