Role of autotransplantation in Hodgkin's disease

Autologous bone marrow transplantation is being used with increasing frequency to treat patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's disease. Patients most likely to benefit from this procedure include those with chemotherapy sensitive disease, good performance status, and limited exposure to conventional chemotherapy regimens. Many questions regarding the optimal timing of transplantation, the most active preparative regimen, and the best source of hematopoietic rescue remain unanswered. Future studies should better define the role of transplantation in Hodgkin's disease and lead to improved results.