Single or tandem autologous stem cell transplantation for treating Chinese patients with refractory/relapsed classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Background Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard treatment strategy for refractory or relapsed classical Hodgkin lymphoma (R/R cHL). However, a single transplantation is insufficient to cure the disease because of unfavorable risk factors. Herein, we evaluated the outcomes of single or tandem ASCT in patients with R/R cHL, especially in high-risk patients.Methods We retrospectively analyzed R/R cHL patients who underwent single or tandem ASCT between April 2000 and June 2021 at the Beijing Cancer Hospital and Peking University International Hospital.Results A total of 134 patients were enrolled. Patients were allocated to a favorable-risk group (group A, n = 33), an unfavorable-risk group (group B, n = 81) that underwent single ASCT, and an unfavorable-risk group that underwent tandem ASCT (group C, n = 20). The median follow-up time was 99 months (range, 91-107 months), and no treatment-related deaths occurred after single or tandem ASCT. However, 27 patients (2 in group C) died during the follow-up period. The groups A, B, and C had 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates of 77.05%, 45%, and 74.67%, respectively (p = 0.0014), and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of 89.85%, 76.06%, and 95%, respectively (p = 0.18). Neither the median PFS rates of groups A and C nor the OS rates of all groups were reached.Conclusions Our study discusses the advantages of tandem transplantation for high-risk patients with R/R cHL.