CD6(-CELL-DEPLETED ALLOGENEIC BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION FOR NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA() T)

For patients with non-hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) undergoing blood or bon e marrow transplantation (BMT), the use of autologous grafts has often been preferred to that of allogeneic stem cells because of a signific antly lower incidence of non-relapse mortality. If complications assoc iated with allo-BMT could be minimized without compromising efficacy, then it might become a preferred strategy for certain subsets of patie nts. In this report, we describe the toxicity and long-term efficacy o f T cell-depleted allogeneic BMT using anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody an d complement alone to reduce the risk of GVHD and its sequelae, Twenty -two patients, aged 18-60 years, with high (n = 10), intermediate (n = 9), or low (n = 3) grade NHL underwent HLA-identical allogeneic BMT f rom siblings, Patients had either relapsed after at least one remissio n or never achieved a full remission with chemotherapy, Twenty patient s had a history of marrow involvement. Bone marrow was depleted of CD6 (+) T cells with T12 monoclonal antibody and complement as the sole fo rm of GVHD prophylaxis. Stable hematopoietic engraftment occurred in a ll 22 patients. Four patients developed grade 2 and 1 patient grade 3 GVHD (23% grades 2-4 GVHD), Chronic GVHD has occurred in three patient s. Treatment-related mortality was very low. Only one patient died whi le in remission. Thirteen patients are alive and free of disease with a median follow-up of 30 months. Estimated event-free and overall surv ivals are 54 and 59%, respectively. CD6 allogeneic marrow transplantat ion is associated with a low risk of transplant-related complications and may offer advantages for certain patients with recurrent NHL felt to be at high risk for relapse after autologous transplantation.