High-dose chemotherapy - High-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation in patients with resistant Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia

Preliminary evidence suggests that high-dose chemotherapy followed by autol ogous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation may be effective in some pati ents with resistant Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. During the last 10 yea rs, seven patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia have received trans plants at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, four with autologous and three wit h allogeneic stem cells. Four patients achieved partial remission, and thre e patients have remained alive for at least 2 years. Our data confirm the f easibility of high-dose therapy in patients with macroglobulinemia and supp ort the need for prospective studies of this modality in patients with chem osensitive disease.