To report the initial results of Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (A-HSCT) in the treatment of Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) performed in a private hospital center located in Fortaleza, Ceará, in the Brazilian Northeast. Material: Between February 2019 and July 2024, 126 A-HSCT were performed at the institution, 25 (20%) in patients diagnosed with HL. All cases were submitted for analysis.

Retrospective descriptive analysis of clinical data from the medical records of patients who underwent the procedure during the studied period.

25 patients from 8 states underwent A-HSCT. Ceará with 14 cases (56%), followed by Pernambuco (03 cases, 12%) and Pará (03 cases, 12%) were the main referral locations. The median age was 29 years (16 to 64 years), with 15 patients being male (60%). The median number of previous chemotherapy protocols was 03 (02 to 07). Lomustine-based conditioning regimens (LEAM or LACE) were used in 60% of cases (15 patients), followed by carmustine (05 cases/20%) and bendamustine (04 cases/16%). The median of neutrophil engraftment was D+9 (D+8 to D+11) and of platelets on D+11 (D+9 to D+16), with the median days to hospital discharge being on D+15 (D+13 to D+20). In a median follow-up of 25-months (02‒58-months), 22 patients are alive (88%), with a progression-free survival of 64%. The main causes of death were the toxicity of the conditioning regimen (02 cases/66.7%) and disease recurrence (01 case/33.3%).

The use of A-HSCT in the treatment of HL was associated with favorable clinical outcomes, in line with the literature, remaining a recommended strategy for patients after the second line of treatment, despite the continuous development of new therapies. Centers specialized in HSCT are still concentrated in more developed regions of the country, making this modality less accessible to patients outside the South-Southeast axis. Our transplant center operates in a private hospital institution that serves a population of patients predominantly from less favored regions, facilitating the accessibility of patients with HL to this treatment modality, especially from other states in the North and Northeast regions.

The use of A-HSCT demonstrated adequate control of the disease, remaining an essential therapeutic option for patients with refractory/relapsed HL. The toxicity of the conditioning regimen still represents a challenge in this population previously exposed to various chemotherapy protocols.