HIV status does not affect the outcome of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

Randomized trials comparing autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) to conventional chemotherapy have demonstrated superior survival among HIV-negative ASCT patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Recent trials explored the feasibility of ASCT in the HIV setting. Although these studies have shown that ASCT in HIV-positive NHL patients (HIVpos-NHL) is well tolerated, the impact of HIV infection on long-term transplant outcome is not well characterized. Ongoing comparison of long-term survival following ASCT in HIVpos-NHL patients and HIVneg-NHL patients will allow investigators to explore whether there should be inclusion of HIVpos-NHL patients in ASCT trials. To study long-term outcome we conducted a single-institution matched case-controlled study in HIVpos-NHL patients (cases) and HIVneg-NHL patients (controls). Twenty-nine patients with HIVpos-NHL were matched with HIVneg-NHL controls on sex, time to ASCT, year of transplant, histology, age, disease status, number prior regimens, and conditioning regimen. Nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was similar: 11% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4%-28%) in HIVpos-NHL patients and 4% (95% CI: 1%-25%) in HIVneg-NHL controls (P = .18). Two-year disease-free survival (DFS) for the HIVpos-NHL patients was 76% (95% CI: 62%-85%) and 56% (95% CI: 45%-66%) for the HIVneg-NHL controls (P = .33). Overall survival was also similar; the 2-year point estimates were 75% (95% CI: 61%-85%) and 75% (95% CI: 60%-85%), respectively (P = .93), despite inclusion of more poor risk HIVpos-NHL patients. These results provide further evidence that HIV status does not affect the long-term outcome of ASCT for NHL, and therefore HIV status alone should no longer exclude these patients from transplant clinical trials.