High-dose Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Transplantation for Central Nervous System (CNS) Relapse of Aggressive Lymphomas

Inclusion Criteria: * highly-malignant non-Hodgkins-Lymphoma, mantle-cell lymphoma or follicular lymphoma 3° * CNS relapse (meningeal or/and intraparenchymal) with or without systemic lymphoma manifestations * ECOG performance score ≤2 * no active infection * negative HIV-serology * adequate renal function (creatinine clearance \> 50 ml/min) * adequate bone marrow function (granulocytes \>1500/μl, platelets \> 80000/μl) * normal bilirubin, AST \< 3 x UNL * negative pregnancy test Exclusion Criteria: * newly diagnosed NHL with primary CNS involvement * indolent NHL, lymphoblastic NHL or Burkitt lymphoma * preceding CNS irradiation * pretreatment of CNS relapse other than corticosteroids * immunosuppression, concomitant immunosuppressive therapy, status after organ transplantation or allogenous stem cell transplantation * second cancer other than basalioma or cervical carcinoma in situ within the last 5 years * unfit to receive an intensive chemotherapy * pregnancy or breastfeeding * known intolerance to MTX, ifosfamide, Depocyte, cytarabine, thiotepa, carmustine or etoposide