The combination of gemcitabine (G), vinorelbine (V), and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (D) has proved to be effective in relapsed Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). Its efficacy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) remains to be discussed. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of the dose-adjusted gemcitabine, vinorelbine, liposomal doxorubicin (GVD) in 14-day schedule in 35 heavily pretreated patients with relapsed and refractory aggressive NHL or HL. Treatment consisted of G: 800 mg/m(2) intravenous (i.v.) on day 1, V: 15 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 1; D: 20 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 1, repeated for 14 days. Patients responded to GVD proceeded to subsequent autologous stem cell transplantation. The objective response rate (ORR) was 48.6 %, with 31.4 % complete remission. A higher ORR was observed in patients with HL than in patients with NHL (80.0 vs. 36.0 %, P = 0.023). With a median follow-up of 26 months, the estimated median progression-free survival and overall survival were 5 (range 1-73 months) and 36 months (range 2-73 months), respectively. The estimated 5-year survival rate was 44.6 % (95 % confidence interval 28.1-61.1 %). Toxicities were mild (grade 3/4 neutropenia 34.3 %, thrombocytopenia 5.7 %). Our results suggest that the dose-adjusted GVD in 14-day schedule is effective and well tolerated in patients with refractory and relapsed HL and aggressive NHL. The potential long-term survival in NHL is promising.