Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation for HIV-related lymphoma: Results of the BMT CTN 0803/AMC 071 trial

Autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT) for HIV-infected patients is largely limited to centers with HIV-specific expertise. The Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network 0803/AIDS Malignancy Consortium 071 trial is a multicenter phase 2 study of AHCT for patients with HIV-related lymphoma (HRL). Eligible patients had chemotherapy-sensitive relapsed/persistent HRL, were >15 years of age, and had treatable HIV infection. Patients were prepared using carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan and received consistent management of peritransplant antiretroviral treatment. The primary endpoint was 1-year overall survival. Forty-three patients were enrolled; 40 underwent AHCT. Pretransplant HIV viral load was undetectable (<50 copies/mL) in 32 patients (80%); the median CD4 count was 249/μL (range, 39-797). At a median follow-up-of 24.8 months, 1-year and 2-year overall survival probabilities were 87.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 72.1-94.5) and 82% (95% CI, 65.9-91), respectively. The probability of 2-year progression-free survival was 79.8% (95% CI, 63.7-89.4). One-year transplant-related mortality was 5.2%. Median time to neutrophil and platelet recovery was 11 days and 18 days, respectively. Nine patients experienced a total of 13 unexpected grade 3-5 adverse events posttransplant (10 grade 3 and 3 grade 4 events). Twenty-two patients had atleast 1 infectious episode posttransplant. At 1 year post-AHCT, median CD4⁺T-cellcount was 280.3 (range, 28.8-1148.0);82.6% had an undetectable HIV viral load. Trial patients were compared with 151 matched Center for International Bone Marrow Transplant Research controls. Outcomes between HIV-infected patients and controls were not statistically significantly different. HRL patients should be considered candidates for AHCT if they meet standard transplant criteria.