Retrospective comparison of BEAC and BEAM as conditioning regimens in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for lymphoma patients: Efficacy and toxicity

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of BEAC and BEAM conditioning regimens in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) lymphoma undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHCT).
METHODS: In this single-center, retrospective analysis, 22 sequential R/R lymphoma patients (13 receiving BEAM and 9 receiving BEAC regimens) who underwent AHCT between January 1 and December 31, 2023, were evaluated. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics, hematologic reconstitution, treatment outcomes, and regimen-related toxicities were examined.
RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the BEAM and BEAC groups regarding the time to hematopoietic recovery or length of hospitalization. No significant differences were found between the two conditioning regimens in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival rates. The incidence of transplant-related infections was similar between the two groups. However, the duration of non-infectious diarrhea was significantly longer in the BEAM group. One treatment-related death occurred in the BEAM group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this limited patient population indicate that the BEAC conditioning regimen administered prior to AHCT in R/R lymphoma patients demonstrates comparable safety and efficacy to the BEAM regimen. BEAC can be considered a feasible alternative; however, the longer duration of diarrhea associated with BEAM is a notable finding. Further studies with larger patient cohorts and longer follow-up periods are needed to validate these results and establish definitive conclusions regarding the optimal conditioning regimen in this patient group.

Keywords: BEAC, Lymphoma, Transplant conditioning.