Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) has a high incident in Japanese. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) against ATL made the patients’ survival longer than chemotherapy alone. Actually, some of them became long survivors (LS). The efficacy of allo-SCT for ATL was examined and the prognostic factors were discussed. We retrospectively surveyed the data of ATL patients who underwent allo-HSCT at our hospital between June 1997 and June 2007. The results of allo-HSCT in ATL patients (n=35) including acute type (n=18) and lymphoma-type (n=17) were analyzed retrospectively. Donors were HLA-related relation in 24 patients (69%) or unrelated volunteers in 11 patients (31%). Twelve patients (34%) were in complete remission (CR) before conditioning regimen. Twenty-one (60%) received a conventional stem cell transplantation (CST) and 14 (40%) received a reduced intensity stem cell transplantation (RIST). Because transplant related mortality (TRM) and relapse are mainly observed within day 100, we divided the patients into short survivors (SS) who died within day 100 and LS who were alive more than one year after allo-HSCT. The median survival time (MST) of SS and LS were 55.6 (10–99) days and 1241.3 (503–2492) days. Most of LS (8 of 10) showed CR as status of ATL before allo-HSCT and all LS were received CST but not RIST. Response of induction chemotherapy and following CST are important factors for the success of allo-HSCT for ATL as a promising consolidation therapy.

Characteristics of patients

ATL subtypeAcute typeLymphoma-type
 18 17   
Gender Male Female   
 21 14   
Age (range) 51.1 yo (41–61)    
ATL status CR PR PD Relapse 
 13 16 
Conditioning regimen CST RIST   
 21 14   
Stem cell source PB BM CB  
 Related 22  
 Unrelated  
Short survivors TRM PD or Relapse   
 Related   
 Unrelated   
Long survivors Alive Died   
 Related   
 Unrelated   
ATL subtypeAcute typeLymphoma-type
 18 17   
Gender Male Female   
 21 14   
Age (range) 51.1 yo (41–61)    
ATL status CR PR PD Relapse 
 13 16 
Conditioning regimen CST RIST   
 21 14   
Stem cell source PB BM CB  
 Related 22  
 Unrelated  
Short survivors TRM PD or Relapse   
 Related   
 Unrelated   
Long survivors Alive Died   
 Related   
 Unrelated   

Author notes

Disclosure: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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