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High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for Hodgkin's lymphoma in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia: King Faisal specialist hospital and research center experience

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 42, pages S37–S40 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

We report our experience with high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous SCT (ASCT) in 66 patients out of 113 (113 patients out of 153 had complete analysis) with primary refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (PR-HL) who received salvage chemotherapy followed by BEAM as HDC. Median age at ASCT was 23 years. Before salvage chemotherapy, stages I:II:III:IV were 2:21:14:29, bulky disease 27%, involvement of mediastinum 79%, spleen 26% and extranodal site 47%; 92% had ESHAP (etoposide, methylprednisolone, high-dose cytarabine, cisplatin) as salvage. Post-ASCT evaluation showed response in 50 patients (76%), complete response (CR) in 37 (56%), partial response in 14 (21%), no response or stable disease in three (5%) and progressive disease in 10 (15%) patients. Six patients achieved CR after XRT (5) or surgery (1), making a total with CR of 43 (65%). From diagnosis and HDC, median follow-up is 38.5 and 22.8 months and median overall survival 78 and 57 months, respectively. EFS and overall survival (OS) are 36 and 64%, respectively. In all 47% patients are in CR. Twenty-two (33%) patients died of the disease. Multivariate analysis showed elevated lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) for EFS (P=0.041) and mediastinal involvement for OS (P=0.038) as negative prognostic factors. In conclusion, EFS and OS are only 36 and 64%, respectively. Elevated LDH and mediastinal involvement are poor prognostic factors.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate Mr Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Hassan for statistical analysis, Ms Ruqaya Belkum, Mr Fayez Abu Zeid and Ms Fadia Mansour from BMT clinic and Mr Edgardo Colcol from Oncology Data Unit for their valuable contribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The King Faisal Cancer Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    S Akhtar, M Abdelsalam, H Al Husseini, I Janabi & I Maghfoor

  2. Centre Hospitalier Public du Cotentin, Cherbourg-Octeville, France

    A El Weshi

  3. Department of Oncology, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

    M Rahal

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  1. S Akhtar
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  2. M Abdelsalam
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  3. A El Weshi
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  4. H Al Husseini
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  7. I Maghfoor
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Correspondence to S Akhtar.

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Dr Akhtar has received lecture fees from Roche Pharmaceuticals.

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Akhtar, S., Abdelsalam, M., El Weshi, A. et al. High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for Hodgkin's lymphoma in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia: King Faisal specialist hospital and research center experience. Bone Marrow Transplant 42 (Suppl 1), S37–S40 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2008.111

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