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BEAM-conditioned autologous SCT improves the quality of response in Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma: a single centre’s 10-year experience

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 49, pages 1231–1232 (2014)Cite this article

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Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) is one of the least prevalent forms of lymphoma with an estimated relative frequency of 1.4% of all B-cell lymphomas.1 Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) is defined as LPL with bone marrow involvement and an IgM monoclonal gammopathy.1 The median age of presentation is >65 years and treatment is indicated in symptomatic patients. Response rates to single-agent chemotherapy and combination chemotherapy/chemoimmunotherapy range between 26 and 92% and 55 and 94%, respectively.2, 3, 4, 5 Despite these respectable response rates, all patients eventually relapse.

For most patients, a non-intensive approach is entirely appropriate. Those of an older age will have limited capacity to tolerate intensive treatment or have low-risk disease with the likelihood of prolonged survival with sequential non-intensive therapy. For those of younger age with more aggressive disease, an adequate depth of response following conventional therapy is likely to be limited and fail to produce a significant improvement in survival. Such patients require special consideration such as autologous SCT (auto-SCT) in first response.

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  1. Department of Haematology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    M A V Marzolini, K J Thomson, J Dorman & S D'Sa

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  1. M A V Marzolini
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  2. K J Thomson
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Correspondence to M A V Marzolini.

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Marzolini, M., Thomson, K., Dorman, J. et al. BEAM-conditioned autologous SCT improves the quality of response in Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma: a single centre’s 10-year experience. Bone Marrow Transplant 49, 1231–1232 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2014.113

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