Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients infected with HIV.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) replaces a diseased hematopoietic system with a functional, disease-free graft and is frequently used in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy made it possible to treat medical conditions in HIV-infected patients in the same way as in the general population. Several studies have reported the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of autologous HSCT as rescue or consolidation treatment for non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's lymphoma in HIV-infected patients. As a result of the improvements in supportive care and the introduction of attenuated transplant conditioning regimens, allogeneic HSCT has been used to treat life-threatening hematologic disorders, with promising results in HIV-infected patients. Moreover, this strategy has made it possible to treat both the hematologic disease and HIV infection.