Allogenic transplantation improves the overall and progression-free survival of Hodgkin lymphoma patients relapsing after autologous transplantation

Results of a retrospective study based on the time of HLA typing and donor availability

Hodgkin lymphoma patients relapsing after autologous transplantation (10–15% of all patients) have a very poor prognosis. The treatment options for these patients consist of salvage chemotherapy or radiotherapy or allogenic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT).

Italian researchers led by Paolo Corradini of the University of Milan assessed the efficacy of allo-SCT in 185 Hodgkin lymphoma patients relapsing after autologous transplantation. It was a retrospective study that aimed to elucidate whether having a suitable donor conferred a survival advantage.

The study analyzed the progression-free survival and overall survival of two groups of patients, either with or without a donor, and thus either receiving allo-SCT or other salvage therapy. Patients with a donor had significantly improved progression-free survival and overall survival rates compared with those without a donor. Of interest, the non-relapse mortality rate was not significantly different between the two groups.

The authors outlined the importance of the results as the population receiving allo-SCT has a survival advantage and this was never demonstrated before. However, they cautioned in the article published in Blood that possible limitations of the retrospective nature of the study should be considered. Therefore, the team is planning a prospective trial to assess the role of allo-SCT earlier in the disease course for selected poor prognosis patients.