The impact of the follicular lymphoma (FL) histologic grade on outcomes after high-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is unknown. We evaluated 219 consecutive patients with grades 1-3 FL who underwent HDT and ASCT at our center. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), relapse and non-relapse mortality (NRM) was estimated for each grade after controlling for other predictive factors. The number of patients with grades 1, 2 and 3 FL was 106 (48%), 75 (34%) and 38 (17%), respectively. Five-year outcome estimates for the entire cohort included 60% OS, 39% PFS and 46% relapse (median follow-up ¼ 7.8 years). PFS and relapse were nearly identical among patients with grade 3 FL versus grades 1-2 FL after adjusting for other contributing factors (hazard ratio (HR) ¼ 0.90, P ¼ 0.68; HR ¼ 1.07, P ¼ 0.80, respectively). The hazard for mortality (HR ¼ 0.70, P ¼ 0.23) and NRM (HR ¼ 0.33, P ¼ 0.07) was non-significantly lower among patients with grade 3 FL compared to patients with grades 1-2 disease. Factors associated with inferior PFS included elevated lactate dehydrogenase (HR ¼ 1.52, P ¼ 0.03), chemoresistance (HR ¼ 1.82, P ¼ 0.02), X2 prior therapies (HR ¼ 1.8, P ¼ 0.03) and prior radiation (HR ¼ 1.99, P ¼ 0.003). These data suggest that the histologic grade of FL does not impact PFS or relapse following HDT and ASCT.

We retrospectively evaluated the association of the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) and other characteristics with survival following high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in 207 consecutive follicular lymphoma (FL) patients. The FLIPI was associated with OS both when evaluated as a categorical variable (0 - 1 vs. 2 vs. 3 vs. 4, p = 0.01, global test) and a continuous linear variable (p = 0.002). The association of FLIPI with survival appeared to be more relevant for patients who received standard conditioning regimens compared to those that were treated with high-dose radioimmunotherapy (p = 0.004). Among all patients, mortality was also associated with chemosensitive disease (HR = 0.47, p = 0.01) or untreated relapse (HR = 0.20, p = 0.0002) vs. chemoresistant disease, and > or =2 extranodal sites (HR = 2.82, p = 0.03) after adjusting for FLIPI. These data suggest that the FLIPI and select non-FLIPI factors after adjustment for the FLIPI are associated with survival in FL patients undergoing ASCT.

Follicular lymphomas (FL) represent approximately one-fourth of all non-Hodgkins lymphomas (NHL) and are the most common indolent lymphomas. Studies suggest that patients (pts) with relapsed FL treated with high-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) have prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) as compared to those treated with standard chemotherapy alone, yet the impact of histologic grade on these outcomes has not been established. In order to address this issue, we evaluated all FL pts that underwent HDT and ASCT at our center from Dec 1985 to June 2005 (n=219). Pts with transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were excluded. Histologic grades 1, 2, and 3 were present in 106 (48%), 75 (34%), and 38 (17%) pts, respectively. Other baseline characteristics at the time of transplant for this cohort included: Female = 39%, median age = 48 (range 24 – 66), stage III/IV = 93%, elevated LDH = 27%, median number of prior regimens = 3 (range 1 to 11), prior radiation therapy (RT) = 16%, bulk ≥5cm = 19%, chemosensitive = 68%, complete remission = 18%. 53% of pts are alive and 36% are alive without relapse at last contact leading to 5- and 10-year estimates of 60% and 42% for OS and 39% and 28% for PFS, respectively. The median follow-up for surviving patients was 7.8 years. The 5- and 10-year OS estimates for the histologic grades were grade 1: 57% and 42%, 2: 60% and 36%, and 3: 65% and 55% (Figure). Five- and 10-year PFS estimates were grade 1: 35% and 27%, grade 2: 44% and 25%, and grade 3: 45% and 40% (Figure). In order to adjust for any potential imbalances of critical prognostic factors between the three grades, we performed a multivariable analysis adjusting for criteria that were found to be associated with OS and/or PFS (age, # of prior regimens, prior RT, chemosensitivity, and LDH) and obtained the hazard ratios (HR) and p-values noted (Table). These data suggest that 1) prolonged OS and PFS can be attained via HDT and ASCT in FL pts, 2) histologic grade does not statistically significantly impact outcomes, and 3) other factors noted above should be utilized to predict outcome and counsel patients. Grade HR for Death (95% CI) p HR for Death or Progression (95% CI) p 1 1 (– –) – 1 (– –) – 2 1.00 (0.66–1.54) 0.98 0.92 (0.63–1.34) 0.69 3 0.66 (0.35–1.24) 0.20 0.79 (0.48–1.33) 0.38 Figure Figure