Successful treatment of relapsed anaplastic large cell lymphoma with vinblastine monotherapy and allo-HSCT with reduced intensity conditioning regimen

Relapsed anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is chemosensitive, but recurrence is common. Although vinblastine (VLB) monotherapy is an effective treatment for relapsed ALCL, the optimal treatment duration is unknown, and some patients experience further relapse after completing the treatment. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is also an effective treatment for relapsed ALCL, although transplant-related toxicity is a problem. Here, we report an 11-year-old patient with relapsed ALCL who underwent induction therapy with VLB monotherapy and achieved complete remission (CR) after 12 courses. CR was confirmed on positron emission tomography-computed tomography. The patient then underwent allo-HSCT with reduced intensity conditioning (fludarabine, melphalan, and low-dose total body irradiation). He developed grade II acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which was successfully treated with methylprednisolone. There was no evidence of chronic GVHD. He has remained in CR without any complications for 19months after allo-HSCT.