Is hematopoietic cell transplantation still a valid option for mantle cell lymphoma in first remission in the chemoimmunotherapy-era?

Modern chemoimmunotherapies have produced higher response rates and improved survival in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL); however, disease relapse remains a challenge. The availability of various post-remission maintenance or consolidation strategies, have led some to question the role of upfront autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT) consolidation for MCL, in the chemoimmunotherapy-era. A one size fits all approach is no longer appropriate for MCL in first remission, and the choice of preferred post-remission (observation, maintenance or consolidation) strategy is increasingly becoming a factor of patient age, comorbidities and disease risk stratification. In select low-risk patients (based on Mantle cell lymphoma International Prognostic Index (MIPI)), observation following rituximab plus Hyper-CVAD-like inductions seems appropriate. Rituximab maintenance after anthracycline-based chemoimmunotherapies in elderly transplant ineligible patients has shown survival benefit and should be considered a valid option. Limited studies suggest feasibility of radioimmunotherapy consolidation in first remission; however, in the absence of randomized data, this modality remains investigational. In younger, transplant-eligible patients receiving cytarabine-containing inductions, upfront consolidation with auto-HCT has shown survival benefit, and remains a standard-of-care option in the modern-era. Hyper-CVAD associated stem cell mobilization failure is an increasingly recognized problem, underscoring the need for alternative inductions, or consideration for early stem cell collection, when this induction regimen is used. Outcomes of high-risk MIPI patients remain suboptimal with currently available induction and post-remission strategies and represents an area where adoptive immunotherapy in the form of allogeneic-HCT warrants investigation. Incorporation of novel MoAbs and targeted agents (PI3K inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, BTK inhibitors and so on.) in maintenance and consolidation strategies will build on the significant therapeutic gains of last decade, in coming years.