Autologous Followed by Non-myeloablative Allogeneic Transplantation for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Currently, patients with recurrent or primary refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are treated with second-line chemotherapy (usually 2-3 courses) for the purpose of cytoreduction and to establish sensitivity to chemotherapy. Thereafter, peripheral blood progenitor cells are mobilized with cyclophosphamide and granulocyte colony stimulating factor, apheresed and cryopreserved. The standard high dose regimen consists of augmented carmustine, etoposide and cyclophosphamide. Unfortunately, there are subgroups of patients with poor outcomes using autologous transplantation including those with transformed lymphoma as well as patients who do not attain a minimal disease state due to chemoresistant disease. These groups of patients have limited disease control and survival with standard chemotherapy regimens, and although they often have excellent cytoreduction with the high-dose chemotherapy regimen, relapse remains the primary cause of treatment failure. The current trial utilizes a similar approach that has been taken with patients with multiple myeloma, who appear to benefit from an allogeneic graft-versus-tumor effect, using a combined autologous and non-myeloablative allogeneic transplant regimen to reduce transplant-related complications. Eligible patients will be treated with high-dose chemotherapy using BCNU, etoposide and cyclophosphamide with autologous hematopoietic cell support as a method of cytoreduction. Approximately 60-120 days after the autologous transplant, patients will receive an allogeneic transplant using a preparative regimen of total lymphoid irradiation and anti-thymocyte globulin in an attempt to develop a graft-versus-lymphoma effect.