Significance of elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients undergoing salvage autologous bone marrow/peripheral stem cell transplantation (BM/PSCT) for relapsed/refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (R/R-HL).

6734 Background: High-dose chemoRx→ BM/PSCT is an acceptable salvage for pts with R/R-HL. In a reported single institution(Bierman PJ.et al. Ann Oncol. 2002;13:1370), low albumin (<4g/dl), anemia (<10.5g/dl), age (≥45 y) and lymphocytopenia (<600/mm and/or<8% of WBC) were associated with inferior event-free and overall survival (OS) in pts with HL undergoing auto BM/PSCT. Elevated LDH levels, as in the IPI and age-adjusted index, adversely impact outcome in pts with aggressive NHL. The significance of elevated LDH in pts with R/R-HL s/p salvage auto BM/PSCT is less clearly defined and controversial.,Evaluate a potential correlation between OS and elevated LDH levels (at transpl) in pts s/p salvage auto BM/PSCT for R/R-HL.,Retrospective, single-institution of consecutive pts with R/R-HL who received salvage auto-BM/PSCT over 14 y (Nov 01,90-Nov 30,04). LDH level (U/L) at time of BM/PSCT (day 0±1) was noted. Pts were divided as normal (A) and high-LDH group (B), if LDH were <1x or ≥1x normal (institution normal:<190 U/L), respectively. OS was defined as the time-period in months from day of transpl to death, until last day of f/u, or until last day of study, for pts who died, were lost to f/u, or still alive, respectively. Survival curves were estimated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and compared between the 2 groups with the log-rank test. One-sided P-value of <0.05 was significant.,49 pts (33 men, 16 women) were identified, who were 13-69 yrs (median: 32 yrs) at time of transpl. 30 pts (61%) died during f/u, 12 pts (25%) were lost to f/u at 2 to 84 mos (median: 25 mos) after transpl, and 7 pts (14%) are alive at time of analysis, 7-75 mos (median: 40 mos) after transpl. LDH at transpl was not available in 5 pts. Median OS for A (n=26, 15/26 [58%]died) was 15.6 mos (95% CI: 8.4-69.4 mos) and for B (n=18, 13/18 [72%] died) was 33.7 mos (95% CI: 18.1-58.7 mos). The difference in OS curves was not significant (p=0.601,log-rank).,Our results show that elevated serum LDH levels don't correlate with inferior OS in pts with R/R-HL s/p salvage auto BM/PSCT. A prospective study is warranted. No significant financial relationships to disclose.