Long-term disease-free survival of patients with advanced follicular lymphoma after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Br J Haematol. 2004 Nov;127(3):311-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2004.05194.x.

Abstract

Myeloablative allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) may be curative in patients with follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, however, the impact of this therapy on long-term survival, disease progression and functional status is less clear. Twenty-nine patients (median age 42 years, range: 20-53) with advanced stage follicular lymphoma proceeded to allogeneic BMT a median of 25 (range: 8-154) months postdiagnosis, between 1985 and 2001, and have been followed for a minimum of 2 years. Eleven of 29 (38%) had refractory disease (n = 5 induction failure, n = 6 resistant relapse). Most (27 of 29, 93%) received total body irradiation-based conditioning; stem cell source was marrow from a related donor (n = 20) or unrelated donor (n = 9). Seventeen of 29 patients (59%) were alive a median of 5 years (range: 2-11) post-BMT with a median Karnofsky Performance Score of 100%. Death occurred because of transplant complications in seven patients (cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality 24%), and progressive lymphoma in five patients (cumulative incidence of refractory/recurrent lymphoma 23%). The 5-year probability of overall and event-free survival was 58% and 53% respectively. Allogeneic BMT has resulted in long-term disease-free survival for approximately 50% of this cohort of patients with advanced follicular lymphoma and most of them now enjoy robust health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft vs Host Disease
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / mortality
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Survival Rate
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Whole-Body Irradiation