Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation with reduced conditioning intensity as a novel immunotherapy and antiviral therapy for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

Sixteen patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) who were all over 50 years of age underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation with reduced-conditioning intensity (RIST) from HLA-matched sibling donors after a conditioning regimen consisting of fludarabine (180 mg/m²), busulfan (8 mg/kg), and rabbit antithymocyte globulin (5 mg/kg). The observed regimen-related toxicities and nonhematologic toxicities were all found to be acceptable. Disease relapse was the main cause of treatment failure. Three patients who had a relapse subsequently responded to a rapid discontinuation of the immunosuppressive agent and thereafter achieved another remission. After RIST, the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load became undetectable in 8 patients. RIST is thus considered to be a feasible treatment for ATL. Our data also suggest the presence of a possible graft-versus-ATL effect; an anti-HTLV-1 activity was also found to be associated with this procedure.