Allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with mantle cell lymphoma: results from the MANTLE-FIRST study on behalf of Fondazione Italiana Linfomi

Abstract

The role of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is uncertain, even more in the era of bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cells. We retrospectively analyzed 55 patients who underwent allo-SCT for MCL relapsed or refractory (r/r) after rituximab and high-dose cytarabine within the MANTLE-FIRST project. With a median follow-up of 3.7 years, non-relapse mortality (NRM), progression-free survival, and overall survival were 23%, 53%, and 56%, respectively. NRM was significantly higher in the case of acute graft-versus-host disease, > 2 prior lines of therapy, age > 60 years. The outcome was similar for patients with early (≤24 months) and late progression of disease. The use of BTKi as a bridge to allo-SCT did not increase the toxicity and allowed a good control of disease. Our real-life experience confirms that allo-SCT still represents an option in MCL patients, especially if young and early-relapsed.

Keywords:

• Mantle cell lymphoma
• allogeneic stem cell transplantation
• ibrutinib

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the patients who participated in the study, their family, friends and caregivers, the study staff and health care providers. The authors thank Francesco Merli (President of FIL), Monica Balzarotti (Coordinator of the FIL Commission for aggressive lymphomas), and all members of the FIL Trial Office for their support. The authors thank Marina Bolzoni and Luca Zanlari for their help with data analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency.