[Current possibilities in the treatment of high-malignity non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with special reference to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

The present combined radiochemotherapy results in a complete remission in 50-60 percent of patients suffering from high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma but only about half of them are cured. The basic regimen for chemotherapy is still the CHOP. There are known "salvage"-protocols, among them the CEPP-regimen, for patients who relapsed. For the still chemosensitive patients a newer complex potentially curative treatment procedure is available. Stem cells harvested during the first or second, in certain cases in a subsequent good remission from the bone marrow or even more from the peripheral blood may be later useful in protecting patients from a severe myelodepression or mostly as a "haemopoietic rescue" in restoration of the bone marrow function after myeloablative conditioning. The present treatment strategy in progressive disorders is mainly based on the complementary effect of intensive radiochemotherapy, autologous stem-cell transplantation and the rational use of cytokines, mostly colony-stimulating factors.