Relapse after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is still challenging for high-risk aggressive lymphoma. This study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of maintenance therapy post-ASCT.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 14-70 years
• High-risk aggressive lymphoma underwent auto-HSCT
• Presence of 2 or more signs of unfavorable prognosis (IPI 2-4)
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, 1, or 2
• Adequate hematological function
• Offer informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Concomitant other cancer
• Congestive heart failure, unstable angina, severe cardiac arrhythmias and conduction disturbances, myocardial infarction
• Renal insufficiency (serum creatinine greater than 0.2 mmol/L) (except cases with specific kidney infiltration, urinary tract compression by tumor conglomerate or presence of uric acid nephropathy due to massive cytolysis syndrome)
• Liver failure (except cases with liver tumor infiltration), acute hepatitis or active phase of chronic hepatitis B or C with serum bilirubin greater than 1.5 standards, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) greater than 3 standards, prothrombin index less than 70%
• Severe pneumonia (except cases with specific lungs infiltration), accompanied by respiratory failure (dyspnea > 30 in min., hypoxemia less than 70 mm Hg, when it is impossible to compensate situation in 2-3 days)
• Severe mental disorders (delusions, severe depressive syndrome and other manifestations of productive symptoms) not related with specific infiltration of central nervous system
• Pregnancy