Allogeneic HSCT was first investigated in selected patients with advanced HD and proved that long-term survival improved for some patients who failed many other lines of therapy. There are 4 studies reporting myeloablative conditioning in preparation for allogeneic HSCT. Although overall survival was above 44%, the high transplant-related mortality convinced most hematologists that allogeneic HSCT was not a real option for patients with HD. The development of reduced intensity conditioning regimens (RIC) in the late nineties, appeared as an opportunity to again test allogeneic HSCT in HD. RIC transplants are associated with significantly lower transplant mortality when compared to myeloablative transplants. However progression free survival is highly dependent on chemoresistance and performance status.
Hodgkin's disease; allogeneic stem cell transplantation
