Early stem cell transplantation may improve survival rates for patients with follicular lymphoma whose first-line chemotherapy failed

This study looked at the effect of autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) on patients with follicular lymphoma who have disease progression within 2 years of initial chemotherapy. The study found that patients who receive early auto-SCT have better survival rates than patients who do not receive auto-SCT. 

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a common slow-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Even though it is slow growing, patients can relapse or experience disease progression after first-line chemotherapy. Early treatment failure (ETF) is disease progression within 24 months of completing first line chemotherapy.

Patients experiencing ETF have worse survival outcomes compared to patients not experiencing ETF. Auto-SCT (using stem cells from the patient’s own body) may improve survival rates for these patients. More research is needed to confirm the positive effect of auto-SCT. 

The medical records of 349 patients were reviewed. 175 patients received auto-SCT. 174 patients did not receive auto-SCT. The average length of follow up was 71 months for patients who received auto-SCT. The average length of follow up was 76 months for patients who did not receive auto-SCT.

The 5-year overall survival rate (time from early treatment failure to death from any cause) was 67% for patients treated with auto-SCT. The 5-year overall survival rate was 60% for patients not treated with auto-SCT. This difference was not statistically significant.

The 5-year overall survival rate for patients who received “early” auto-SCT (within 1 year of ETF) was 73%. The 5-year overall survival rate for patients who did not receive auto-SCT was 60%. This difference was statistically significant. 

The authors concluded that autologous stem cell transplantation within 1 year of early treatment failure improved survival rates for patients experiencing early treatment failure.