Life Expectancy After a Stem Cell Transplant for Large B Cell Diffuse Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Diffuse large B-cell is the most common of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, making up about 30 percent of these cancers, according to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. It is an aggressive, fast-growing lymphoma often presenting as a swelling in the lymph nodes. However, the life expectancy with this cancer is actually good, because, while it's aggressive, it has a high cure rate.

Reasons for a Transplant

• Typically, a stem cell transplant is used for diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma when a relapse, or the cancer's return, occurs following initial chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment. Stem cell treatment enables doctors to use higher doses of chemotherapy than would be possible otherwise, because stem cells grow new blood cells to replace cells destroyed by the chemo.

Candidates for a Transplant

• Not everyone is a suitable candidate for a stem cell transplant for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. A person should be in good physical health and under the age of 70 to be considered, as this significantly improves the life expectancy for the patient.

Good Indicators

• Those who tolerated their initial treatment of chemotherapy well for their diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma have a better chance of a good outcome with stem cell transplantation.

Types

• The stem cells come from a donor in allogeneic transplants, and are riskier procedures, with 20 to 30 percent of patients dying during the process. However, a high cure rate exists for those who survive the procedure.
  With autologous transplants, the stem cells come from the patient, and the risk is lower, with a 2 percent mortality rate from the procedure, but the cure rate for survivors is lower.

Prognosis

• The prognosis for a patient who has relapsed and received stem cell transplantation is generally good if the patient is under 70 and in good general health. Stem cell transplants are considered highly effective treatments and a significant portion of patients are cured following the treatment, but every case is individual and many factors have to be taken into account in determining life expectancy.