Purpose: To assess the patterns of recurrence, management, and survival following recurrence after myeloablative therapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL).
Patients and methods: Between June 1985 and October 1995, 99 patients with FL received cyclophosphamide and total-body irradiation with ABMT as consolidation of second or subsequent remission.
Results: Median length of follow-up was 5 1/2 years, and 33 patients developed recurrent lymphoma a median of 14 months after ABMT. In 26 patients, the recurrence was overt; in seven, it was detected on surveillance investigation. Twenty-six patients presented with recurrence at previous sites of disease. Twenty-two patients (67%) had FL at the time of recurrence; in 11 (33%), there was evidence of transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Eight patients were managed expectantly; five were alive 21 to 53 months later. Twenty-five patients have required treatment to date; eight remained alive 6 months to 10 years later, and five were in remission. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of patients alive 5 years after recurrence is 45% (95% confidence interval, 27% to 62%). In univariate and multivariate analyses, survival after recurrence and overall survival after diagnosis were similar to those of a historical control group who received conventional treatment, before the introduction of myeloablative therapy (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.56, P = .3, and HR, 1.34, P = .4, respectively).
Conclusion: The survival pattern of patients with FL following recurrence after myeloablative therapy and ABMT suggests that this treatment does not compromise outcome in patients in whom it fails, reflecting the survival pattern of the disease when treated conventionally.