Faisability and Results of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation In Lymphoma Patients Over 65 Years Old.

The incidence of lymphoma is increasing in the western population. Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard consolidation procedure in patients with lymphoma expressing bad features at the time of diagnosis or in patients relapsing after a first line of chemotherapy (or radiotherapy). It has already been proven that ASCT improves the overall survival and the disease free survival in younger patients. No data are available for the feasibility and the results of ABSCT in elderly patients (OMS defines elderly as age superior to 65 years).

We performed a retrospective study in our centre, comparing the feasibility and the results of ABSCT in elderly patients with lymphoma compare to patients younger than 65 years old.

We identified 147 patients who underwent ASCT transplantation in Brest Transplantation Centre. Ninety-four patients were younger than 65 (mean51.44years) and 53 patients were older (mean 67.86 years).

Transplantation related mortality (TRM) (up to 100 days post ASCT) was similar for the two populations. There was no statistically significant difference between the two populations regarding the number of units of RBC and platelets transfused, the number of CD 34 reinjected and infectious complications. There was a statistically significant difference between the two populations regarding the duration of aplasia: 11.21 days in younger patients and 11.89 days in elderly population.

There was no statistically significant difference between the two populations regarding the overall survival (OS) and the disease free survival (DFS).

Our retrospective, monocentric, comparative study showed that ACST could be performed in selected elderly patients (over 65 years old) with no significant difference regarding TRM, DFS and OS but a little bit longer period of aplasia: 11.21 days for young patients and 11.89 in elderly (p-0.0005).

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.