Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation with Bendaeam (Bendamustine, Etoposide, Cytarabine, Melphalan) As Conditioning Regimen for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Background: High dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remain standard of care in patients with relapsed non Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). This regimen is also proposed as consolidation therapy in patients with poor prognosis aggressive NHL and mantle cell lymphoma in first complete remission (CR). BEAM (BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) is the standard protocol chemotherapy used as conditioning regimen. A few previous studies with Bendamustine replacing BCNU have been reported with promising results. BendaEAM seems to show less toxicity and might improve results in relapsed Hodgkin/non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (R-HL/NHL) patients.