Granisetron (Kytril) plus dexamethasone for antiemetic control in bone marrow transplant patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy with or without total body irradiation

This prospective trial evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of granisetron for antiemetic control in patients receiving high-dose cyclophosphamide (CY)-containing regimens with/without TBI for bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation or PBSC mobilization. Granisetron 1 mg i.v. plus dexamethasone 10 mg i. v. were administered daily 30 min before chemotherapy or radiation for a median of 5 days. Response was defined as the number of emetic episodes per 24 h: complete response, 0 and no emetic rescue; major response, 1-2; minor response, 3-5; failure, >5. One hundred patients were enrolled. Ninety-eight received CY-containing regimens and 26 of these additionally received TBI (12 Gy divided over 4 days). Response was complete on 216 (47%) of a total 456 patient days, major on 222 (49%), minor on 14 (3%), and failure on 4 (1%). Mean number of emetic episodes per patient per day and breakthrough medication required per patient per day was 0.24 (range 0-8) and 0. 40 (range 0-8), respectively. Adverse effects were minimal, with headache (20%) reported most frequently. Based on these results, granisetron plus dexamethasone is an effective and well-tolerated antiemetic regimen in BMT/PBSCT recipients conditioned with high-dose chemotherapy with/without TBI. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 1279-1283.

A phase I trial of recombinant human thrombopoietin in patients with delayed platelet recovery after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Delayed platelet recovery is a significant complication after both autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). A multicenter, phase I dose-escalation study of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) was conducted to assess its safety and to obtain preliminary data on its efficacy in patients with persistent severe thrombocytopenia (<20,000/microL) >35 days after HSCT. Thirty-eight patients, 37 of whom were evaluable, were enrolled in the study from April 1996 through January 1997. rhTPO was administered at doses of 0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 microg/kg as a single dose (group A) or in multiple doses every 3 days for a total of 5 doses (group B). No significant adverse effects were observed. Ten patients had recovery of platelet counts during the 28-day study period; 3 of these 10 had an increase in marrow megakaryocyte content 7 days after completing treatment with rhTPO. When all baseline marrows were compared with samples after rhTPO treatment, there was no difference in marrow megakaryocyte content (P = 0.49). This study design could not answer the question of whether the recoveries of platelet counts observed in some patients were spontaneous or influenced by rhTPO treatment; nonetheless, the authors found no correlation between the dose of rhTPO and the recovery of platelet counts. Increases in serum TPO levels were dose-dependent and remained significantly elevated for up to 72 hours after treatment. To evaluate response, further studies of treatment strategies with rhTPO in patients with delayed platelet recovery are required.

Unrelated donor marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia: 9 years' experience of the national marrow donor program

Over a period of 8.5 years (February 1988 to October 1996), 1423 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) underwent unrelated donor (URD) bone marrow transplants (BMTs) facilitated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) at 85 transplant centers. One hundred thirty-seven evaluable (9.9%) patients failed to engraft, and an additional 83 (6.6%) evaluable patients experienced late graft failure. Grade III/IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed in 33% of patients (95% confidence interval [CI], 30%-36%). The incidence of extensive chronic GVHD was 60% (95% CI, 56%-63%) at 2 years. Only 5.7% of patients (95% CI, 3.6%-7.8%) transplanted in chronic phase developed hematologic relapse at 3 years. Several factors were independently associated with improved disease-free survival (DFS), including transplant in chronic phase, transplant within 1 year of diagnosis, younger recipient age, a cytomegalovirus seronegative recipient, and development of no or mild acute GVHD. The combined effect of these factors on outcome is manifest in a subset (n = 157) of young (less than 35 years), chronic phase patients transplanted within 1 year of diagnosis using HLA-matched donors who had 63% (95% CI, 53%-73%) DFS at 3 years. URD BMT therapy for CML is both feasible and effective with more frequent and more rapid identification of suitable donors. Early URD transplant during chronic phase yields good results and should be considered in CML patients otherwise eligible for transplant but without a suitable related donor.

Control of nosocomial Clostridium difficile transmission in bone marrow transplant patients

This is a report of six cases of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) that occurred among cancer patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation in a tertiary-care cancer hospital. Specific infection control measures that were taken to minimize the nosocomial spread of CDAD also are discussed.

Allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation for acute and chronic myeloid leukemia: non-myeloablative preparative regimens and induction of the graft-versus-leukemia effect

High-dose chemoradiotherapy with allogeneic blood or bone marrow transplantation is an effective and potentially curative treatment for advanced or high-risk hematologic malignancies, but it has been associated with significant morbidity and mortality resulting from toxicity of the preparative regimen, graft-versus-host disease, and the immunodeficient state that accompanies the procedure. Development of safer and less toxic treatment has been the subject of much research. This review summarizes the current understanding of the mechanisms by which allogeneic transplants cure leukemia and the rationale for non-myeloablative preparative regimens. Experience of the authors is related with 116 patients diagnosed with acute or chronic myeloid leukemia who underwent allogeneic hematopoetic transplantation with two non-ablative regimens that differed in intensity.

Allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma: potential for nonablative preparative regimens

There is increasing interest in the use of allogeneic blood and marrow transplants for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and lymphomas. Numerous studies indicate efficacy in patients with advanced disease and demonstrate existence of a potent graft-versus-malignancy effect against these disorders. Allogeneic transplantation is most effective in CLL and low-grade lymphomas, but precise indications and timing of allogeneic transplants in these indolent disorders are not well defined. Allotransplantation is an effective, potentially curative approach, albeit with substantial risks; it is indicated in selected categories of patients. Allogeneic transplants are also promising for mantle cell lymphoma. In large-cell lymphoma, relapses are reduced in allogeneic compared with autologous transplants, but the benefit of allotransplantation has been offset by increased risk of treatment-related complications, and its indications are controversial. A promising new strategy is the use of less toxic, nonmyeloablative preparative regimens to achieve engraftment and allow development of graft-versus-malignancy effects that can produce durable remission in selected categories of lymphoid malignancies.

Mini-allografts: ongoing trials in humans

Conventional allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a valuable approach to therapy for many hematologic malignancies. However, high-dose conditioning regimens designed both to control the malignancy and to prevent graft rejection are associated with a high incidence of acute and long-term side-effects. This has largely precluded the use of allografting for patients older than 55 years or for younger patients with certain pre-existing organ damage. In order to manage the side-effects, transplants have traditionally been delivered in highly specialized hospital wards or intensive care settings. Thus, an important goal is to develop safer allografting procedures that can be extended to older patients or patients with pre-existing organ dysfunction who are currently excluded from consideration for transplant. Recent observations have shown that donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) can eradicate some malignancies that relapse after conventional allografting. These observations confirmed earlier evidence in favor of a graft-versus-leukemia effect based on the association of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) with a lower likelihood of relapse of malignancy after allografting. Given the potential efficacy of DLI as the sole modality for eradication of malignancy, new strategies for allografting can incorporate the concept of less intensive conditioning therapy which is given with the sole aim of facilitating allogeneic engraftment. Recent pre-clinical studies in a canine model have shown that conditioning regimens for allografting can be markedly reduced in intensity yet still achieve the goal of engraftment. This review briefly summarizes the initial translational clinical studies, using a minimally myelosuppressive-conditioning regimen based on low dose total body irradiation (TBI) or fludarabine alone or in combination with other drugs followed by a short course of immunosuppression with post-grafting cyclosporine and methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil.

Daclizumab, a humanized anti-interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain antibody, for treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease

Daclizumab, a humanized monoclonal IgG1 directed against the alpha chain of the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), is a competitive inhibitor of IL-2 on activated lymphocytes. To test the hypothesis that specific inhibition of activated lymphocytes in patients with ongoing acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) might ameliorate the process, we treated 43 patients with advanced or steroid-refractory GVHD with daclizumab. The first cohort of 24 patients was treated with daclizumab 1 mg/kg on days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. On day 43, the complete response (CR) rate was 29% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13%-51%). Survival on day 120 was 29% (95% CI, 13%-51%). A second cohort of 19 patients was treated with daclizumab 1 mg/kg on days 1, 4, 8, 15, and 22. For these patients, the CR rate on day 43 was 47% (95% CI, 24%-71%), and survival on day 120 was 53% (95% CI, 29%-76%). There were no infusion-related reactions and no serious side effects related to daclizumab. Following treatment, there was a reduction in serum concentrations of soluble IL-2R and peripheral blood CD3( + )25(+) lymphocytes, but these changes were not predictive of response. Daclizumab has substantial activity for the treatment of acute GVHD, and the second regimen evaluated is recommended for a controlled study. (Blood, 2000; 95:83-89)

Graft-vs.-malignancy with allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation: a potential primary treatment modality

The high-dose chemotherapy and radiation typically used as the preparative regimen for bone marrow transplantation produces considerable morbidity and mortality. An alternative strategy is to utilize a low-dose, non-myeloablative, preparative regimen designed not to eradicate the malignancy, but to provide sufficient immunosuppression to achieve engraftment of an allogeneic hematopoietic graft and allow subsequent development of a graft-vs.-malignancy effect. We studied this approach in patients who were ineligible for standard myeloablative preparative regimens because of advanced age or comorbidities and demonstrated that purine analog (fludarabine or 2-CDA) containing non-myeloablative chemotherapy allows engraftment of HLA-compatible hematopoietic progenitor cells, and extended remissions were observed in approximately half of chemosensitive patients with recurrent AML or CML. Patients with CLL or lymphoma have been effectively treated using a non-myeloablative regimen of fludarabine/cyclophosphamide of fludarabine, cytarabine, cisplatin. This chemotherapy is known to be non-myeloablative and mixed chimerism was anticipated. All patients with engraftment have responded and 67% have achieved complete remission. Maximal responses are slow to develop and occur gradually over a period of several months to one year. Long-term efficacy must still be determined and controlled trials are necessary comparing this approach with alternative therapies as well as standard transplantation regimens.

Allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation for mantle-cell lymphoma: molecular remissions and evidence of graft-versus-malignancy

BACKGROUND

The presence of a graft-versus-tumor effect has been well established for various hematological malignancies but not for mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL). We report preliminary results suggestive of a graft-versus-lymphoma effect in such patients post allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixteen patients with the diffuse type of MCL received allogeneic transplantation. Three had blastic features. Fifteen had an HLA-identical and one, a one HLA antigen mismatched sibling donor. Fifteen had stage IV disease. Eleven patients were previously treated, including one who failed prior autologous transplantation. Five patients were newly diagnosed and received transplantation after cytoreduction with three to eight courses of HYPER-CVAD (fractionated cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, dexamethasone) alternating with high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine.

RESULTS

Eleven patients received high-dose cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg and total body irradiation (TBI) (12 Gy given in four daily fractions). Three patients were not eligible for TBI and received the BEAM regimen. Twelve (85.7%) achieved complete and two (14.3%) partial response. Two additional patients received a nonablative preparative regimen consisting of cisplatin, cytarabine and fludarabine. One failed to engraft and later relapsed. The other patient had progressive disease one month post transplant but later achieved complete remission now durable for 14+ months after developing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Residual lymphoma was assessed in seven patients by polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR) for bcl-1 or immunoglobulin gene rearrangement. All had detectable disease at the time of transplant. When tested within four months post transplant, four of these patients attained molecular remission. One of the three molecular non-responders converted to a negative PCR status seven months later and one fluctuates between positive and negative PCR fourteen months post transplant. Overall survival (OS) and failure-from-progression (FFP) at three years were both 55% (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 28%-83%). For patients with chemosensitive disease, FFP and OS at one year were both 90% (95% CI: 71%-100%) compared with 44% (95% CI: 1%-88%) (P = 0.04) for those who were refractory to conventional chemotherapy at the time of transplantation. There were six deaths. These were related to GVHD (three cases), infection (one case), multiorgan failure (one case), and graft failure (one case).

CONCLUSIONS

This report demonstrates the potential efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation for MCL and provides the first evidence suggestive of graft-versus-malignancy in MCL. Data supportive of this concept include 1) achievement of remission concomitant with GVHD, 2) the conversion from a positive PCR status early after transplant to negative PCR status over time and 3) that the only relapse was in a patient who failed to engraft.

Allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation as adoptive immunotherapy. Induction of graft-versus-malignancy as primary therapy

An immune-mediated graft-versus-malignancy effect is important to prevent relapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplant for a range of hematologic malignancies and potentially some solid tumors. Graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects as seen in response to donor lymphocyte infusions have been most prominent against indolent malignancies including chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and low-grade lymphoma. Acute myelogenous leukemia and multiple myeloma may also respond. An alternative strategy for allogeneic transplantation is to avoid the toxicity of high-dose chemoradiotherapy and use a relatively nontoxic, nonablative preparative regimen to achieve engraftment, allowing subsequent infusion of additional donor lymphocytes to mediate GVL. Fludarabine-based nonablative chemotherapy agents, using standard dose combinations, produce moderate myelosuppression but are sufficiently immunosuppressive to allow engraftment of an allogeneic hematopoietic transplant and generation of graft-versus-malignancy effects.

Tacrolimus and minidose methotrexate for prevention of acute graft-versus-host disease after HLA-mismatched marrow or blood stem cell transplantation

Thirty adults with leukemia or lymphoma transplanted with marrow or blood stem cells from 1-antigen mismatched related donors received tacrolimus and minidose methotrexate to prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The group had a median age of 42 years (range 18-56 years). Twenty-seven patients had advanced disease, and 13 were resistant to conventional therapy. Tacrolimus was administered at 0.03 mg/kg/day i.v. by continuous infusion from day -2, converted to oral at four times the i.v. dose following engraftment, and continued to day 180 post-transplant. Methotrexate 5 mg/m2 was given i.v. on days 1, 3, 6 and 11. Mild nephrotoxicity was common before day 100; 69% of patients had a doubling of creatinine, 56% had a peak creatinine greater than 2 mg/dl, and two patients were dialyzed. Other toxicities prior to day 100 thought to be related to tacrolimus included hypertension (45%), hyperkalemia (17%), hyperglycemia (14%), seizures (13%), headache (3%) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (3%). Grades 2-4 GVHD occurred in 59% (95% CI, 38-70%), and grades 3-4 GVHD in 17% (95% CI, 1-32%). Overall survival at 1 year was 29% (95% CI, 12-45%). We conclude that tacrolimus and minidose methotrexate is active post-transplant immunosuppression for patients with 1-antigen mismatched donors.

Rhinovirus infections in myelosuppressed adult blood and marrow transplant recipients

Scant data are available on the clinical significance of rhinovirus infections in immunocompromised patients. We reviewed the clinical courses of and outcomes for 22 myelosuppressed adult blood and marrow transplant recipients with rhinovirus infections who were hospitalized at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) from January 1992 to January 1997. In 15 patients (68%), illnesses remained confined to the upper respiratory tract. Seven patients (32%) developed fatal pneumonia. These patients had profound respiratory failure a mean of 12 days (range, 3-21 days) after the onset of symptoms. In six of these seven cases, rhinovirus was isolated before death from a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimen and/or an endotracheal aspirate. Five patients underwent autopsies, one of which revealed disseminated aspergillosis and four of which revealed interstitial pneumonitis and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome and no other organisms. In conclusion, rhinovirus infections may be associated with considerable pulmonary-related morbidity and mortality in severely myelosuppressed immunocompromised patients.

Cytomegalovirus disease in adult marrow transplant recipients receiving ganciclovir prophylaxis: a retrospective study

In a retrospective study, we compared the incidence and risk of mortality associated with CMV disease in adult allogeneic BMT and PBSC recipients who received ganciclovir prophylaxis three-times-per-week (78 patients) vs five-times-per-week (137 patients). Active CMV infection occurred in 28 (41%) and 26 (21%) in the three- vs five-times-per-week groups, respectively (P < 0.005). CMV disease developed in 11 (16%) and five (4%) patients who received ganciclovir prophylaxis in the three-times-per-week vs five-times-per-week groups (P < 0.004). The CMV-attributable mortality rate was 1.5% and 12% in the five- vsthree-times-per-week groups, respectively (P < 0.003). Risk factors for CMV disease, significant at the P < 0.05 level in the multivariate analysis, were ganciclovir prophylaxis at three-times-per-week, receiving a T cell-depleted (TCD) marrow, and tacrolimus as prophylaxis for GVHD. These data suggest that ganciclovir five-times-per-week significantly reduced the incidence and mortality of CMV disease in allogeneic BMT and PBSC recipients. However, ganciclovir five-times-per-week was less effective for the prevention of CMV disease in patients receiving TCD marrow or tacrolimus.

Marrow transplantation from unrelated donors for patients with severe aplastic anemia who have failed immunosuppressive therapy

Allogeneic marrow transplantation offers curative therapy for patients with aplastic anemia. We analyzed retrospective results in 141 patients with severe aplastic anemia who received transplants between 1988 and 1995 from an unrelated volunteer donor identified through the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). All patients had failed one or more courses of immunosuppressive therapy. Of the patients, 121 (86%) received a radiation-containing conditioning regimen, and 20 (14%) were given chemotherapy only. Based on serologic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing (class I and II), 105 patients (74%) received HLA-matched marrow, and 36 (26%) received marrow mismatched for at least one HLA-A, -B, or -DR antigen. Allele-level (molecular) typing for HLA-DRB1 was available in 108 donor-recipient pairs; 77 patients received DRB -matched and 31 DRB1-mismatched transplants. All but 13% of patients were given a cyclosporine-containing regimen for graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, and 45 patients (32%) received marrow that was T cell-depleted. Among 131 evaluable patients, 116 (89%) achieved sustained engraftment and 15 (11%) did not. Among patients with engraftment, acute GVHD of grades II-IV developed in 60 patients (52%) and extensive chronic GVHD in 24 patients at risk (31%). Currently, 51 patients (36%) are surviving at 11-94 months (median 36) after transplantation. All but five have Karnofsky scores > or =80. Patients who received a serologically matched transplant fared somewhat better than did patients given a serologically mismatched transplant p = 0.03). Patients with donors matched by both serology and allele-level DRB1 typing had significantly better survival than DRB1-mismatched patients with 56 vs. 15% surviving at 3 years p = 0.001). Outcome in patients transplanted within 3 years of diagnosis was superior to that among patients transplanted with greater delay. Major causes of death were graft failure, GVHD, and infections. These data suggest that unrelated marrow transplantation offers successful therapy for a proportion of patients who have failed immunosuppressive therapy.

Risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation

We evaluated demographic characteristics and graft composition as risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in 160 adult recipients of HLA-identical allogeneic blood stem cell transplants. The patients received a median nucleated cell dose of 7.9 x 10(8)/kg and median C34(+) cell dose of 5.6 x 10(6)/kg. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine (CSA) and steroids, tacrolimus (FK506) and steroids, or FK506 and methotrexate. Grades 2 to 4 GVHD occurred in 31% (95% CI, 23% to 39%), and grades 3 to 4 GVHD in 14% (95% CI, 8% to 20%). In univariate analyses, GVHD prophylaxis with CSA and high CD34(+) cell doses were significant risk factors for grades 2 to 4 GVHD, but diagnosis, age, use of total body irradiation, donor sex, female donor for male recipient, donor parity, donor alloimmunization, viral serology, nucleated cell dose, CD3(+) cell dose, and CD56(+) cell dose did not alter the incidence of GVHD significantly. With a CD34(+) cell dose less than 8 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg, the risk of grades 2 to 4 GVHD was significantly higher for those who received CSA (39%, 95% CI, 21% to 47%) in comparison with those on FK506 (18%, 95% CI, 10% to 26%) (P =.03), but GVHD prophylaxis regimen had less impact with a higher CD34(+) cell dose (overall grades 2 to 4 GVHD rate 52%, 95% CI, 37% to 67%). GVHD prophylaxis and CD34(+) cell dose are independent risk factors for acute GVHD after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation.

Syngeneic blood stem cell transplantation for infectious mononucleosis-related aplastic anaemia

A 17-year-old girl developed severe aplastic anaemia following an episode of infectious mononucleosis. Her identical twin sister underwent mobilization with filgrastim and subsequent leukapheresis for blood stem cell collection. The cells were freshly infused without prior immunosuppression. The patient became transfusion-independent and achieved a trilineage complete haematological response. Her engraftment lasted 6 months, but subsequently she relapsed with pancytopenia. The patient then received a second infusion of syngeneic blood stem cells, preceded by conditioning with cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin. This led to durable trilineage haematological recovery still ongoing at 16 months after her second transplant.

Toxicity of single daily dose gentamicin in stem cell transplantation

To determine the safety of single daily dose (SDD) gentamicin in recipients of stem cell transplantation (SCT), we evaluated all adult patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center who received SDD gentamicin for treatment of febrile neutropenia. Thirty-three patients received gentamicin 5 mg/kg i.v. every 24 h. Mean duration of therapy was 7 days (range 3-32 days). All patients received vancomycin and 17 received cisplatinum. All patients had normal renal function prior to therapy. Serum gentamicin levels were monitored only when renal function deteriorated. The incidence of nephrotoxicity and clinically significant ototoxicity was 3% and 12%, respectively. All four patients who developed ototoxicity had normal renal function before and during therapy. The mean duration of gentamicin therapy was significantly longer in patients who developed ototoxicity, 20 days vs 9 days (P = 0.001). Patients treated with SDD gentamicin for >10 days were more likely to develop ototoxicity (P = 0.045). Single daily dosing of gentamicin was associated with clinically significant ototoxicity in 12% of our patients. A larger randomized EORTC trial evaluating SDD vs MDD amikacin failed to detect a difference in ototoxicity. However, the median duration of therapy was only 8 days. The increased incidence of ototoxicity in our study may be due to prolonged therapy, type of aminoglycoside used, concomitant ototoxic agents, small sample size, or a combination of the above.

Purging of contaminating breast cancer cells from hematopoietic stem cell grafts by adenoviral GAL-TEK gene therapy and magnetic antibody cell separation

The presence of contaminating tumor cells in autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell (PB-SC) preparations increase the likelihood of relapse in women receiving transplants for metastatic breast cancer. We describe a new technique for purging breast cancer cells (BCCs) that combines two independent strategies: (a) the specific enrichment of CD34+ progenitor stem cells by magnetic antibody cell separation (MACS), and then (b) infection of the contaminating BCCs with a recombinant adGAL-TEK marker/suicide gene adenovirus (ad-v), followed by the addition of ganciclovir (GCV). Infection with this ad-v results in three to four times greater expression of ad-v-delivered reporter gene in BCCs than in CD34+ cells. In addition -2 h, -low multiplicity of infection (50:1) adGAL-TEK infections of BCC lines (MCF-7 and BT474) eradicated >99% of BCCs after 72 h of exposure to 20 microM GCV. However, exposure to both adenovirus and GCV at the MOIs and doses used had little effect on hematopoietic stem cells to form colonies in colony-forming unit assays. adGAL-TEK infection in our model system (10(3)-10(5) BCCs added into 10(7) HSCs) also resulted in the 3 to 5 log eradication of clonogenic BCCs after the addition of GCV. MACS enrichment/purification of CD34+ cells from PB-SC contaminated with 2 x 10(6) to 5 x 10(7) BCCs followed by adGAL-TEK infection and GCV addition resulted in 5-7-log depletion of clonogenic BCCs as well as enrichment of CD34+ progenitor cells to >98%, with the recovery of >70% of hematopoietic stem cells. This adenoviral purging system is so robust that poor MACS purification, resulting in 1.5-log depletion of BCCs, still permits excellent ad-v infection and BCC killing.

Interleukin-2-activated autologous bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells in the treatment of acute leukemia and lymphoma

In this pilot trial of interleukin (IL)-2-treated autologous bone marrow (BM) and peripheral stem cell (PSC)-supported high-dose chemoradiotherapy, we report 36 patients with poor-prognosis leukemia and lymphoma who received BM and/or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized autologous PSCs that had been exposed to IL-2 for 24 hours ex vivo. Patients then received IL-2 by low-dose continuous intravenous (i.v.) infusion until hematologic reconstitution and then by intermediate-dose continuous i.v. infusion for six 2-week maintenance cycles given at 1-month intervals. The median Day to neutrophils over 500/microL was 22 with BM and 10 with PSCs (p = 0.01). The median Day to platelets >20,000/microL was 50 for BM and 25 for PSCs, and to platelets >50,000/microL was 138 for BM and 34 for PSCs (p not significant). After the first three patients received IL-2 at 2 mIU x m(-2) x day(-1) and had slow reconstitution, four patients were treated without IL-2 until the maintenance phase following reconstitution. The remaining 29 patients received the initial "post-infusion" IL-2 at 1 mIU x m(-2) x day(-1). Toxicities associated with the infusion of IL-2-activated cells consisted of chills and fever in about one-half of the patients and transient hypotension in 12%. Low-dose IL-2 by continuous i.v. infusion in the early posttransplant period was associated with exacerbation of fever, diarrhea, and altered mental status in a minority of patients. The major dose-limiting toxicities of maintenance IL-2 were fever, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, skin rash, and dyspnea. Among 24 lymphoma patients, nine are in continuous complete remission (CCR) from 18-48 months, and 15 have died (12 due to relapse and three of therapy-related toxicities). Of 12 acute leukemia patients, two with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are in CCR at 38 and 43 months, and one patient who was in cytogenetic but not molecular remission of Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL died of progressive leukemia at Day 108. Three of nine with myeloid leukemia are in CCR at 21, 46, and 53 months; one is in hematologic and cytogenetic remission of acute promyelocytic leukemia at 55 months with multiple new cytogenetic abnormalities; one is alive at 54 months with pancytopenia after incomplete hematologic recovery followed by multiple new cytogenetic abnormalities (myelodysplasia); and one had an unrelated donor transplant after relapsing 4 months following protocol therapy. One myeloid leukemia patient remains without evidence of relapse, but is transfusion-dependent at 15 months following transplant.

Thiotepa, busulfan and cyclophosphamide as a preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation for advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia

Thirty-six adults with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in second or greater chronic phase, accelerated phase, or blast crisis underwent marrow or blood stem cell transplantation from an HLA-matched sibling using high-dose thiotepa, busulfan and cyclophosphamide (TBC) as the preparative regimen. All evaluable patients engrafted and had complete donor chimerism. One patient failed to clear meningeal leukemia, and one patient had one of 30 metaphases positive for the Philadelphia chromosome at 2 months post transplant. The remainder of the patients studied had eradication of CML documented by cytogenetics and/or Southern blot for BCR gene rearrangement, and 13 of 15 patients studied became negative for the BCR gene rearrangement by polymerase chain reaction. Three-year relapse rate is 42% (95% CI, 19-64%). The relapse rate was significantly lower for patients transplanted without blast crisis (9% vs 100%, P < 0.001). Eight (22%, 95% CI, 10-39%) patients had severe or fatal veno-occlusive disease (VOD). Elevated liver enzymes within 1 month prior to transplantation and transplantation using marrow were significantly associated with the occurrence of VOD. Three-year survival is 28% (95% CI, 13-43%). Survival was significantly higher for patients transplanted without blast crisis (45% vs 0%, P = 0.01). TBC is an effective preparative regimen for CML in accelerated phase but not refractory blast crisis, and it should be used with caution in patients with prior hepatopathy who have an increased risk of severe VOD.

Carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan as a preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation for high-risk malignant lymphoma

BACKGROUND

The combination of carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan (BEAM) is an effective autologous transplantation preparative regimen for lymphoma and has little toxicity, but the feasibility and tolerance of BEAM as a preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation has not been established.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty adults with primary refractory or recurrent intermediate- or low-grade lymphoma were treated on a prospective phase II study with carmustine 300 mg/m2 i.v. day -6, etoposide 200 mg/m2 i.v. followed by cytarabine 200 mg/m2 i.v. twice daily days -5 to -2, melphalan 140 mg/m2 i.v. day -1, and marrow or blood stem cells from an HLA-identical donor on day 0. Tacrolimus and methotrexate were used to prevent graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD).

RESULTS

Median time from transplantation was 20 mos (range 6-32 months). Median maximal regimen-related toxicity grade was 2, and four patients (13%) had a grade 3-4 regimen-related toxicity. Two patients had idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis. One patient had primary graft failure, and a second had autologous reconstitution documented at three months posttransplant. Grades 2-4 acute GVHD occurred in 31%, grades 3-4 in 16%, and chronic GVHD in 54%. Day-100 survival was 70%. Twenty-three patients achieved a complete response. The two-year relapse rate was 23%, survival was 48%, and disease-free survival (DFS) was 42%.

CONCLUSIONS

BEAM supports engraftment of allogeneic transplants and is a tolerable preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation for lymphoma.

Reinventing bone marrow transplantation. Nonmyeloablative preparative regimens and induction of graft-vs-malignancy effect

The therapeutic benefit of allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation is due largely to an immune graft-vs-malignancy effect. Most of the evidence for such an effect has come from studies of allogeneic transplantation in leukemia. In patients with susceptible malignancies who relapse following an allogeneic transplant, infusion of donor lymphocytes can induce durable remissions. Use of less toxic, nonmyeloablative preparative regimens permits engraftment and generation of graft-vs-malignancy effects. This strategy permits allogeneic transplantation to be used in older patients and those with comorbidities who cannot tolerate conventional high-dose preparative regimens. The long-term efficacy of nonmyeloablative preparative regimens and induction of graft-vs-malignancy effects remains to be determined. Also, further clinical trials are required to address various unresolved issues and to compare this strategy with standard, myeloablative transplantation regimens.

Late cytomegalovirus pneumonia in adult allogeneic blood and marrow transplant recipients

To assess the impact of antiviral prophylaxis during the first 3 months after transplantation on the frequency, timing, and outcome of cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia during the first year, 541 adult allogeneic blood and marrow transplant recipients were evaluated. Thirty-four patients (6.3%) developed 35 episodes of CMV pneumonia at a mean of 188 days after transplantation, with an associated mortality rate of 76%. Twenty-six episodes (74%) occurred late (after day 100). Of the patients with late CMV pneumonia almost all (92%) had chronic graft vs. host disease or had received T cell-depleted transplants. Fourteen late CMV pneumonias (54%) were associated with serious concurrent infections, and 100% of these episodes were fatal. In conclusion, although the frequency of CMV pneumonia in the early posttransplantation period may be substantially reduced by prophylaxis, CMV continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the late period. Some subsets of patients need more prolonged surveillance and prophylaxis and/or preemptive therapy.

Reinventing bone marrow transplantation: reducing toxicity using nonmyeloablative, preparative regimens and induction of graft-versus-malignancy

Bone marrow transplantation was initially developed as a means to deliver supralethal doses of chemotherapy and radiation for treatment of malignancies. Myelosuppression is the dose-limiting toxicity for many chemotherapy drugs and whole-body radiation. Many malignancies exhibit a steep dose-response relationship to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Bone marrow transplantation allows escalation of doses beyond those levels which produce severe bone marrow toxicity. Doses of many agents, particularly alkylating agents and whole body radiation, can be increased three- to fivefold above their conventional maximally tolerated dose. Marrow transplantation was considered a supportive care modality to restore hematopoiesis. It has become clear, however, that the high dose therapy does not eradicate the malignancy in many patients, and that the therapeutic benefit of allogeneic marrow transplantation is largely related to an associated immune-mediated graft-versus-malignancy effect.

Antiemetic efficacy of granisetron plus dexamethasone in bone marrow transplant patients receiving chemotherapy and total body irradiation

Few trials exist regarding the antiemetic efficacy of granisetron in bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients conditioned with high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation (TBI). In this single-center, open-label, prospective, trial, the antiemetic efficacy and safety of granisetron plus dexamethasone were evaluated in 26 patients conditioned with cyclophosphamide-containing regimens (the majority receiving 60 mg/kg per day on 2 consecutive days), and TBI (12 Gy divided over 4 days). Daily intravenous doses of granisetron 1 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg were given 30 min prior to chemotherapy or radiation, and continued for 24 h after the last conditioning treatment for a median of 6 days (range 3-9). Emetic control was defined by the number of emetic episodes occurring within a 24 h period, or the requirement for rescue medication for nausea or vomiting. A total of 25 patients completed 186 evaluable treatment days. Response (emetic control by treatment days) was complete in 50% of patients, major in 48%, minor in 2%, and there were no failures. Adverse effects were minor, with diarrhea (15%), headache (14%), and constipation (11%) reported most often. Based on these results, the antiemetic regimen of granisetron plus dexamethasone appears effective and well tolerated during BMT conditioning with high-dose cyclophosphamide and TBI.

Long-term outcome of a phase II study of BM transplants, partially depleted ex-vivo of CD5-positive and CD8-positive T-lymphocytes in unrelated and related donor 1 antigen mismatched recipients

BACKGROUND

Mismatched family donor and unrelated donor BM transplants are associated with a high risk of acute GvHD. White T-cell depletion is the best method to reduce risk of acute GvHD, there was a reluctance to use T-cell depletion in the mismatched setting because of increased risk of rejection and relapse. Partial T-cell depletion, by the panning of CDS and CD8 positive T cells may reduce complications related to GvHD without compromising outcomes.

METHOD

In a long-term follow-up of a Phase II study of partial T-cell depletion by panning for BM transplant, 32 recipients received transplants from a single-Ag (HLA A, B, or DR) mismatched family donor; or an HLA serologically-matched unrelated donor. Patients were studied for engraftment, GHD, relapse and survival.

RESULTS

30 (94%) of the patients marrow engrafted. The cumulative risk of Grade 2-4 acute GvHD was 62 - 9%; of Grade 3-4 GvHD, 11 - 6%. The 4-year cumulative risk of relapse was 18 - 8% and actuarial survival was 44 - 9%.

DISCUSSION

Partial T-cell depletion had a low rate of severe acute GvHD without compromising engrafment or relapse risk.

Hematopoietic retroviral gene marking in patients with follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

We conducted a double retroviral vector (RV) gene marking trial to test for the possible contribution to relapse of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (FNHL) cells present in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) grafts used for hematopoietic reconstitution of patients undergoing myelaoblative chemotherapy and autologous transplant. CD34 positive selection using the CellPro Ceprate CD34 column was performed on PB mononuclear cells obtained after cyclophosphamide/G-CSF mobilization. CD34 positive cells were exposed for 4-6 hours to the LNL6 or G1 Na RV in the absence of growth factors or stromal monolayers. One week later, BM mononuclear cells were similarly processed. Patients then received total body irradiation (TBI), cyclophosphamide, and etoposide followed by infusion of both PB and BM CD34 positive cells. Semiquantitative Southern blot analysis of DNA t(14;18) amplification products showed approximately a three log reduction in t(14;18) positive cells after CD34 positive selection. The first patient showed evidence of engraftment with RV positive BM and PB cells for 9 months. He relapsed one year after transplant. At relapse, one year after transplant, he had lost evidence of RV positive cells in ficolled mononuclear BM and PB cells as well as in CD19 positive cells. The second and third patients showed evidence of engraftment with RV positive cells up to 9 and 6 months post BMT respectively. The second and third patients are still in clinical remission. Our results demonstrate engraftment of RV transduced hematopoietic cells in the PB and BM for up to 9 months.

Hyper-CVAD and high-dose methotrexate/cytarabine followed by stem-cell transplantation: an active regimen for aggressive mantle-cell lymphoma

PURPOSE

Diffuse and nodular forms of mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) are consistently associated with poor prognosis. In an effort to improve the outcome, we adopted a treatment plan that consisted of four courses of fractionated cyclophosphamide (CY) 1,800 mg/m2 administered with doxorubicin (DOX), vincristine (VCR), and dexamethasone (Hyper-CVAD) that alternated with high-dose methotrexate (MTX) and cytarabine (Ara-C). After four courses, patients were consolidated with high-dose CY, total-body irradiation, and autologous or allogeneic blood or marrow stem-cell transplantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-five patients were enrolled; 25 patients were previously untreated, 43 patients had Ann Arbor stage IV disease, and 42 patients had marrow involvement. Forty-one patients had diffuse histology, two patients had nodular, and two patients had blastic variants.

RESULTS

Hyper-CVAD/MTX-Ara-C induced a response rate of 93.5% (complete response [CR], 38%; partial response [PR], 55.5%) after four cycles of pretransplantation induction chemotherapy. All patients who went on to undergo transplantation achieved CRs. For the 25 previously untreated patients, the overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates at 3 years were 92% (95% confidence interval [CI], 80 to 100) and 72% (95% CI, 45 to 98) compared with 25% (95% CI, 12 to 62; P = .005) and 17% (95% CI, 10 to 43; P = .007), respectively, for the previously treated patients. When compared with a historic control group who received a CY, DOX, VCR, and prednisone (CHOP)-like regimen, untreated patients in the study had a 3-year EFS rate of 72% versus 28% (P = .0001) and a better OS rate (92% v 56%; P = .05). Treatment-related death occurred in five patients: all were previously treated and two received allogeneic transplants.

CONCLUSION

The Hyper-CVAD/MTX-Ara-C program followed by stem-cell transplantation is a promising new therapy for previously untreated patients with MCL.

Chemotherapy immediately following autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with advanced breast cancer

Most patients relapse after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) for metastatic breast cancer. Further chemotherapy immediately after hematopoietic recovery from ASCT is not given for fear of irreversibly damaging the newly engrafted stem cells. In a pilot chemoprotection trial, autologous CD34+ cells from patients with metastatic breast cancer were exposed to a replication-incompetent retroviral vector carrying MDR-1 cDNA and then reinfused after HDCT. Immediately on recovery, patients received multiple courses of escalating dose paclitaxel. All of the 10 patients tolerated reinfusion of modified cells without any toxicity and had myeloid engraftment within 12 days (range, 11-14). The bone marrow cells of three patients contained vector MDR-1-positive cells only at the time of the first course of posttransplant paclitaxel, indicating that the MDR-1 vector-modified cells had only short-term engrafting potential. A total of 83 courses of paclitaxel were administered starting at a median of 30 (range, 21-32) days from ASCT. The median dose of paclitaxel was 225 mg/m2 and the median interval between paclitaxel cycles of therapy was 21 (range, 20-41) days. Five of the six CR patients were able to receive all of the 12 courses of paclitaxel. Three patients who had achieved less than a complete response to the HDCT (2 patients) and partial response (1 patient) were converted to complete clinical responses during the 12 cycles of paclitaxel. No delayed toxicity or bone marrow failure was noted in these patients with a median follow-up of 2 years from ASCT. This is the first study of chemotherapy immediately after transplantation with autologous CD34+ cells. These data indicate that paclitaxel can be safely administered immediately after ASCT without any delayed toxicities. Paclitaxel given immediately after ASCT can further improve the response to pretransplant chemotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Conventional therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia are not likely to provide a cure, prompting the use of more aggressive approaches. High-dose therapy with autologous and allogeneic bone marrow or blood stem cell transplantation appear to induce a prolonged period of disease-free survival in selected patients with this indolent disease. Significant questions were raised, however, in terms of survival benefit, the value of purging, the presence of graft-versus-leukemia effect, and the timing of transplantation. The survey presents the main results obtained in the area of transplantation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and critically discusses them in light of the current debate.

Effect of CD34+ peripheral blood progenitor cell dose on hematopoietic recovery

The CD34+ cell surface antigen is expressed on progenitor cells required for blood stem cell transplantation. The number of cells expressing CD34+ can be used to assess the peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) graft quality and predict hematopoietic recovery after engraftment. Because there is considerable variability among centers in the determination of CD34+ cell counts, standardizing flow cytometry methodology is essential. It is necessary to define a minimum safety threshold CD34+ cell dose for hematopoietic cell transplantation. This minimum dose would define a cell number in the graft, below which a proportion of patients would be expected to have delayed hematopoietic recovery or failure to engraft. We reviewed data from numerous studies. Although 1-2 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg can be considered an adequate graft, available data suggested that doses >5 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg were associated with more rapid engraftment and a lower probability of graft failure. The risk of delayed recovery was inversely related to CD34+ cell dose. Delayed recovery may result in greater transfusion requirements, longer hospitalization, increased antibiotic use and growth factor support, and higher health care costs. The extent of prior chemotherapy and radiation treatment are major risk factors for poor PBPC collection. To achieve an optimal CD34+ cell yield, PBPC collection should be initiated early during therapy. PBPC collection should be coordinated with the anticipated number of chemotherapy cycles, duration of chemotherapy, interval between chemotherapy and apheresis, need for radiotherapy, and exposure to the more progenitor cell-toxic drugs such as carmustine or busulfan.

Transfusion support using filtered unscreened blood products for cytomegalovirus-negative allogeneic marrow transplant recipients

It has been suggested that leukoreduced unscreened blood products can be used as an alternative to components from cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seronegative donors in order to prevent transmission of CMV from transfusions for CMV-seronegative marrow transplant recipients with CMV-seronegative donors, but confirmatory data are lacking. A retrospective chart review was undertaken for patients undergoing allogeneic transplantation over a 4-year period during which blood products were filtered for CMV-seronegative patients with CMV-seronegative donors when CMV-seronegative components were not available. Forty-five CMV-seronegative patient-donor pairs were identified. Only one patient developed CMV disease (pneumonia) and no other patients developed an infection. In this group of patients, the rate of CMV infection was 2.7% (95% CI, 0-8%) by life-table analysis. We conclude that filtered unscreened blood products as partial transfusion support for CMV-seronegative marrow transplant recipients were associated with a low incidence of CMV infection, justifying further evaluation of filtered blood products as total transfusion support for this patient population. However, since CMV infections still occur, continued surveillance by periodic culture or other techniques is warranted.

Transplant-lite: induction of graft-versus-malignancy using fludarabine-based nonablative chemotherapy and allogeneic blood progenitor-cell transplantation as treatment for lymphoid malignancies

PURPOSE

To investigate the use of a nonmyeloablative fludarabine-based preparative regimen to produce sufficient immunosuppression to allow engraftment of allogeneic stem cells and induction of graft-versus-leukemia/lymphoma (GVL) as the primary treatment modality for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and lymphoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifteen patients were studied. Six patients were in advanced refractory relapse, and induction therapy had failed in two patients. Patients with CLL or low-grade lymphoma received fludarabine 90 to 150 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 900 to 2,000 mg/m2. Patients with intermediate-grade lymphoma or in Richter's transformation received cisplatin 25 mg/m2 daily for 4 days; fludarabine 30 mg/m2; and cytarabine 500 mg/m2 daily for 2 days. Chemotherapy was followed by allogeneic stem-cell infusion from HLA-identical siblings. Patients with residual malignant cells or mixed chimerism could receive a donor lymphocyte infusion of 0.5 to 2 x 10(8) mononuclear cells/kg 2 to 3 months posttransplantation if graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was not present.

RESULTS

Eleven patients had engraftment of donor cells, and the remaining four patients promptly recovered autologous hematopoiesis. Eight of 11 patients achieved a complete response (CR). Five of six patients (83.3%) with chemosensitive disease continue to be alive compared with two of nine patients (22.2%) who had refractory or untested disease at the time of study entry (P = .04).

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate the feasibility of allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation with a nonablative preparative regimen to produce engraftment and GVL against lymphoid malignancies. The ability to induce remissions with donor lymphocyte infusion in patients with CLL, Richter's, and low-grade and intermediate-grade lymphoma is direct evidence of GVL activity against these diseases. This approach appears to be most promising in patients with chemotherapy-responsive disease and low tumor burden.

Blood stem cell procurement: donor safety issues

Allogeneic transplantation of rhG-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) is now being increasingly performed, but safety considerations for hematologically normal PBSC donors have not been fully addressed. Experience in this area is rapidly accumulating, however, and on the basis of currently available data, a consensus is gradually emerging on several issues: (1) rhG-CSF treatment and PBSC collection seem to have an acceptable short-term safety profile in normal donors. There is a need for continued safety monitoring, however. (2) rhG-CSF doses up to 10 microg/kg/day show a consistent dose-response relationship with the mobilization (and collection) of CD34+ progenitor cells, and this dose is acceptable for routine clinical use. Whether higher doses are superior (or cost-effective) remains to be determined, and they may produce more severe side-effects. The potential risks of marked leukocytosis (arbitrarily defined as a leukocyte count of more than 70 x 10(9)/l) have been a concern, and rhG-CSF dose reduction is performed by many centers to maintain leukocyte counts below this level. (3) Transient post-donation cytopenias, involving granulocytes, lymphocytes and platelets, may occur and are at least partly related to the leukapheresis procedure. These are generally asymptomatic and self-limited; follow-up blood counts are not necessarily required. Reinfusion of autologous platelet-rich plasma should be considered for donors with expected post-donation thrombocytopenia (platelet count <80-100 x 10(9)/l). (4) Donors should meet the eligibility criteria which apply to donors of apheresis platelets, with the exception that pediatric (as well as elderly) donors may also be considered. There is insufficient information at this time to clearly establish definite contraindications for PBSC collection in a hematologically normal donor. Potential contraindications include the presence of inflammatory, autoimmune or rheumatologic disorders, as well as atherosclerotic or cerebrovascular disease. (5) The creation of an International PBSC Donor Registry is desirable to facilitate monitoring the long-term effects of the procedure. Individual institutions or donor centers are encouraged to establish their own PBSC donor follow-up system, preferably with a standardized approach to data collection.

A multicenter study of platelet recovery and utilization in patients after myeloablative therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

An observational study was conducted at 18 transplant centers in the United States and Canada to characterize the platelet recovery of patients receiving myeloablative therapy and stem cell transplantation and to determine the clinical variables influencing recovery, determine platelet utilization and cost, and incidence of hemorrhagic events. The study included 789 evaluable patients transplanted in 1995. Clinical, laboratory, and outcome data were obtained from the medical records. Variables associated with accelerated recovery in multivariate models included (1) higher CD34 count; (2) higher platelet count at the start of myeloablative therapy; (3) graft from an HLA-identical sibling donor; and (4) prior stem cell transplant. Variables associated with delayed recovery were (1) prior radiation therapy; (2) posttransplant fever; (3) hepatic veno-occlusive disease; and (4) use of posttransplant growth factors. Disease type also influenced recovery. Recipients of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) had faster recovery and fewer platelet transfusion days than recipients of bone marrow (BM). The estimated average 60-day platelet transfusion cost per patient was $4,000 for autologous PBSC and $11,000 for allogeneic BM transplants. It was found that 11% of all patients had a significant hemorrhagic event during the first 60 days posttransplant, contributing to death in 2% of patients. In conclusion, clinical variables influencing platelet recovery should be considered in the design and interpretation of clinical strategies to accelerate recovery. Enhancing platelet recovery is not likely to have a significant impact on 60-day mortality but could significantly decrease health care costs and potentially improve patient quality of life.

Prognostic value of cytogenetics in multiple myeloma

Karyotypic studies of bone marrow were conducted in 79 previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma who received a standard programme of chemotherapy. An abnormal karyotype was observed in 46% of patients, virtually all showing multiple abnormalities consistent with a long period of preclinical clonal evolution. Patients with an abnormal pattern showed various aberrations with hyperdiploidy in 64%, pseudodiploidy in 5% and hypodiploidy in 31%. The number of chromosomes affected ranged from two to 19 (median 10), with at least one trisomy in 83%, one monosomy in 75%, and one translocation in 42% of patients. Lymphoma-like karyotypes were present in 17% of patients with an abnormality but were not associated with atypical clinical features, such as an extramedullary mass, leukaemia, or increased serum lactate dehydrogenase. Monosomy or deletion of chromosome 13 was present in 47% of patients with an abnormal pattern, who lived for a shorter duration (median 10 months) than patients with other abnormalities (median 34 months) or with diploidy (median 35 months). The cause of the short survival of patients with monosomy or deletion of chromosome 13 was not clear, but further studies on the relationship with specific oncogenes are indicated.

Rescue from apoptosis in early (CD34-selected) versus late (non-CD34-selected) human hematopoietic cells by very late antigen 4- and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) 1-dependent adhesion to bone marrow stromal cells

Monoclonal antibodies to very late antigen 4 (VLA-4) recognize the alpha4beta1 integrin receptor. This monoclonal antibody blocks the adhesion between early hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34-selected cells) and stromal cells when added to cultures of these cells. Addition of the VLA-4 monoclonal antibody to cultures of stromal cells and CD34-selected cells was shown to induce apoptosis of CD34-selected cells in these CD34-selected cell/stromal cell cocultures, as measured by the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling method. In contrast to these experiments with early hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+), the level of adhesion between more differentiated cells (unfractionated hematopoietic cells) and stromal cells was not significantly altered by addition of the anti-VLA-4 monoclonal antibody. Similarly, the level of apoptosis of unfractionated hematopoietic cells was not significantly increased by the addition of anti-VLA-4 monoclonal antibody to cultures of the latter cells with stromal cells. The binding of the unfractionated cells is less than that of the CD34-selected cells. Given that there is no difference between the alpha4beta1 integrin expression level of the early and late myeloid cells, there may be a difference in the functional state of the integrin between the early and late myeloid cells. We also show that CD34+-selected precursor cells proliferate at a higher rate when these cells are plated on recombinant vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 molecules. These data indicate that the alpha4beta1 integrin receptor (VLA-4) plays a central role in the apoptosis rescue function that results from the anchorage-dependent growth of the CD34-selected early hematopoietic cells on stromal cells. The data suggest that these apoptosis rescue pathways have less significance as the cells mature and become anchorage independent in their growth. These data should assist in the design of systems for the ex vivo proliferation and transduction of early hematopoietic cells for genetic therapy.

Remission of refractory gestational trophoblastic disease in the brain with ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE): first report and review of literature

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) metastatic to the brain has a very poor prognosis with a survival rate of less than 25%, especially for patients in whom brain metastases develop while on or after chemotherapy. Cure can be achieved by chemotherapy alone. The regimen of etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin-D, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide has shown encouraging results and is considered to be standard first-line treatment for high risk patients. For patients in whom this regimen fails, a salvage chemotherapy regimen is used. The combination of ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) has synergistic activity in preclinical studies. This regimen has shown activity in metastatic breast cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer as well as platinum-resistant germ-cell tumors and metastatic GTD. This is the first report of a patient with a highly refractory GTD in whom brain metastasis developed while on chemotherapy, and whose brain metastasis went into remission with a low dose ICE regimen. Accordingly, ICE may be considered for patients with chemotherapy refractory GTD metastatic to the brain.

High-dose chemotherapy for relapsed and refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: mediastinal localization predicts for a favorable outcome

PURPOSE

This study was performed to evaluate the outcome of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous transplantation in patients with diffuse B-cell large-cell lymphoma, and, specifically, to evaluate the impact of primary mediastinal localization on the outcome of high-dose chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of all patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who underwent autologous marrow or peripheral-blood stem-cell transplantation at our institution between January 1 986 and December 1995.

RESULTS

Ninety patients were identified, of whom 31 (34%) had a primary mediastinal B-cell large-cell lymphoma (PML). Cumulative probabilities of disease-free survival, overall survival, and disease progression are 40% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29 to 51), 42% (95% CI, 31 to 53), and 52% (95% CI, 40 to 64), respectively. By univariate analysis, low lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and low Ann Arbor stage at transplant were associated with improved survival and disease-free survival. There was a trend for improved disease-free survival and survival for patients with PML. Multivariate stepwise Cox regression analysis showed that LDH level, Ann Arbor stage, and primary mediastinal localization were independent favorable prognostic factors for disease-free survival and survival. LDH level and Ann Arbor stage were also predictive for the risk of disease progression.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that patients with PML may display an increased susceptibility to high-dose chemotherapy compared with other types of B-cell large-cell lymphoma. These findings, if confirmed, may have implications for the initial management of patients with PML.

Allogeneic marrow transplantation for myeloproliferative disorders other than chronic myelogenous leukemia: review of forty cases

The role of allogeneic marrow transplantation as treatment of myeloproliferative disorders other than chronic myelogenous leukemia is not yet determined. At our center, 1 patient with primary myelofibrosis, 1 with mastocytosis, and 4 with myeloid metaplasia have been transplanted using HLA-identical sibling donors. All patients engrafted with full donor chimerism, and morphologic and cytogenetic manifestations of disease in the marrow resolved posttransplant. Three patients died; two with relapse and one from infection. The other three patients are alive in remission at 24+, 28+, and 32+ months posttransplant. Including these cases, a total of 40 patients transplanted for myeloproliferative disorders have been reported. The most common indications for transplantation were cytopenias, increasing blasts in marrow or blood, uncontrolled counts on conventional therapy, poor prognosis cytogenetics, organ dysfunction, and consolidation after induction therapy for blast transformation. Using the outcome data published for these patients, the actuarial estimate of 3-year survival is 55% (95% C.I., 44-76%) with a median reported follow-up of survivors of 21 months (range, 4-158 months). For patients with myeloproliferative disorders and evidence of accelerated disease, HLA-identical marrow transplantation is well tolerated and can result in an extended disease-free survival.

A prospective randomized trial of buffy coat versus CD34-selected autologous bone marrow support in high-risk breast cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy

High-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic progenitor cell support is administered increasingly to selected categories of patients with high-risk malignancies. Bone marrow and/or peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) are commonly cryopreserved with the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which can cause a variety of systemic side effects when the graft is thawed and infused. The progenitor cells thought to be responsible for hematopoietic recovery express the CD34 antigen and constitute 1% to 3% of the marrow cells and 0.5% of the PBPC fraction. Transplantation of a CD34(+) graft would markedly reduce the volume and thus the amount of DMSO required, thereby decreasing the infusion-related toxicities. In this study, 89 high-risk breast cancer patients received high-dose therapy and were randomized to receive an autologous CD34(+) marrow graft (Arm A) versus a standard buffy coat fraction (Arm B). After marrow infusion, significant increases in diastolic and systolic blood pressure, as well as significant decreases in heart rate, were documented in Arm B compared to Arm A patients (P < .001). None of the patients in Arm A experienced any clinically serious adverse events associated with the marrow infusion compared to 6% of the Arm B patients. The median time to neutrophil engraftment was 13 days for Arm A and 11 days for Arm B patients (P = .218). The median time to platelet engraftment was 27 days for Arm A and 20 days for Arm B patients (0.051). There were no other significant differences between the two arms of the study with respect to thrombocytopenia-related complications or immune function reconstitution. Additionally, patients on Arm A who received >/=1.2 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg had no delay in platelet recovery (22 days), compared to patients on Arm B, who also received greater than 1.2 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg (20 days) (P = .604). In conclusion, this prospective randomized study demonstrates that breast cancer patients who receive high-dose therapy with autologous CD34(+) marrow support have reduced marrow infusion-related toxicity, comparable time to neutrophil engraftment and immune function recovery posttransplant, and for those who receive <1.2 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg, comparable time to platelet engraftment compared to women who receive buffy coat fractions of marrow.

Activity of interleukin-2 in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma following transplantation of interleukin-2-activated autologous bone marrow or stem cells

PURPOSE

Disease recurrence constitutes the major cause of treatment failure following autologous transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Preclinical models indicate that bone marrow or stem cells that have been exposed to recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) can be immunologically purged of chemotherapy-resistant malignant cells while retaining their proliferative potential. Continued treatment with rIL-2 in the posttransplantation period may further enhance the antitumor effect. We review here a phase I clinical study conducted to address the feasibility of this immunotherapeutic approach for reducing the relapse rate following autologous transplantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We have performed a phase I clinical trial of rIL-2-treated autologous bone marrow or stem cell transplantation for patients who had hematologic malignancies with poor prognoses. Conditioning for lymphoma patients consisted of thiotepa (250 mg/m2/day x 3 days), busulfan (1 mg/kg orally every 6 hours for 3 days), and cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg/day x 2 days). Autologous bone marrow or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) -mobilized autologous stem cells were thawed and exposed for 24 hours to rIL-2 (6000 IU/mL). Posttransplantation rIL-2 therapy (1-2 MIU/m2/day) was administered by continuous infusion from day 1 for a minimum of 21 days. Subsequently, all patients were to receive six cycles of maintenance rIL-2 (6 MIU/m2/day) for 5 days per week in weeks 1 and 2 every 28 days. Patients also received G-CSF (5 micrograms/kg) from day 1 until neutrophil recovery. Twenty-eight patients were accrued, of whom 19 had recurrent or refractory NHL. The median age of NHL patients was 33 years (range, 17-48 years). Seventeen patients had intermediate-grade lymphoma and two had high-grade lymphoma. Five patients received bone marrow, 10 patients received peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC), and four patients received a combination of PBSC and bone marrow.

RESULTS

All patients engrafted. The median time to reach a granulocyte count of 0.5 x 10(9) cells/L was 11 days (range, 8-41 days). The median time to reach a platelet count of 50 x 10(9) cells/L was 34 days (range, 9-242 days). The most common dose-limiting toxicities associated with posttransplantation and maintenance rIL-2 therapy were fever, fatigue, and nausea. Among 19 NHL patients, eight patients have developed progressive disease and two patients have died from bilateral pneumonia or radiation-induced cardiomyopathy. Nine patients (47%) remain disease free with a median follow-up of 225 days (range, 150-948 days).

CONCLUSION

These data indicate the feasibility of transplanting rIL-2-activated bone marrow or stem cells followed by posttransplantation immunotherapy in patients with advanced NHL. The potential antitumor efficacy of this approach is undergoing further evaluation in a prospective phase II trial.

Use of octreotide in the symptomatic management of diarrhea induced by graft-versus-host disease in patients with hematologic malignancies

PURPOSE

Diarrhea associated with acute gastrointestinal (GI) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can result in severe morbidity and mortality. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of octreotide in the management of diarrhea in patients with GVHD after allogeneic BMT.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty-one patients entered the study. Patients received either peripheral-blood stem cells (n = 13) or bone marrow (n = 8). Seven patients had grade 4, 13 grade 3, and one grade 2 GVHD. Intravenous (I.V.) octreotide 500 microg every 8 hours for 7 days was administered. Octreotide treatment was discontinued if no response was observed after 7 days or for grade 4 toxicity.

RESULTS

Fifteen (71%) of 21 treated patients had a complete response within 7 days of the initiation of octreotide; three (14%) had a partial response and three (14%) failed to respond to treatment. Toxicities were minimal; hyperglycemia was seen in four patients and one patient developed a partial ileus. Octreotide was discontinued and the ileus resolved within 48 hours.

CONCLUSION

If initiated early in the course of GI GVHD, octreotide appears to be an effective, well-tolerated agent in reducing severe voluminous diarrhea. Octreotide should be discontinued within 24 hours after the resolution of diarrhea to avoid the development of ileus. Because no additional reduction in the volume of diarrhea occurred after 7 days of therapy, continuation of the drug beyond this time is not cost effective.

Phase I/II study of dose-intense doxorubicin/paclitaxel/cyclophosphamide with peripheral blood progenitor cells and cytokine support in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Relapse following complete remission achieved with a single course of high-dose chemotherapy continues to be the main cause of treatment failure in patients with metastatic breast cancer. A phase I/II trial was initiated that combined the two most active drugs against breast cancer, doxorubicin and paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ), with cyclophosphamide, and delivered four cycles of these drugs with peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support in an outpatient setting. Patients with untreated metastatic breast cancer received two cycles of doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 and paclitaxel 200 mg/m2. During recovery from the second cycle, PBPCs were harvested. Responding patients were then admitted for a day to receive escalating-dose doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and cyclophosphamide followed by PBPC reinfusion on day 3 as outpatients. Seventeen patients have been enrolled to date. Ten patients completed treatment and received 34 cycles of high-dose chemotherapy every 21 days (range, 21 to 28 days). The median age was 47 years (range, 26 to 56 years) and the median number of metastatic sites was two (range, one to three). Five patients had received adjuvant chemotherapy (four cyclophosphamide/methotrexate/5-fluorouracil and one mitoxantrone-based). The most common toxic reactions were nausea and vomiting (75% of courses) and neurosensory (50% of courses). No patients had a decreased ejection fraction or overt congestive heart failure. Ten patients underwent cardiac biopsy (median doxorubicin, 253 mg/m2; range, 120 to 312 mg/m2); only one showed grade 1 cytotoxic changes with doxorubicin 240 mg/ m2. Six patients were admitted for neutropenic fever. Eight of 10 patients responded (two pathologically confirmed complete remissions in liver). At these doses, four cycles of doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and cyclophosphamide with PBPC and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support every 21 days was well tolerated and showed evidence of activity. Enrollment at higher dose levels continues so that maximum tolerated dose can be defined.

Foscarnet for prevention of cytomegalovirus infection in allogeneic marrow transplant recipients unable to receive ganciclovir

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease can be prevented by administration of ganciclovir prophylactically post-transplant. However, up to 30% of patients discontinue use of ganciclovir as a result of profound neutropenia and may subsequently develop CMV infections while unprotected. To prevent reactivation of CMV, we administered foscarnet to 39 adults unable to receive ganciclovir due to delayed engraftment or ganciclovir-induced neutropenia. Twenty-four (62%) of the patients had received T cell-depleted marrow transplants. Foscarnet sodium 60 mg/kg i.v. daily was continued until the neutropenia resolved, at which time ganciclovir was resumed. CMV prophylaxis commenced at a median of 28 days following transplantation. Median time to initiation of foscarnet was day 60 post-transplant, and the median duration of treatment was 22 days. Foscarnet was well-tolerated. Six (15%) patients had CMV detected while receiving prophylaxis, and CMV-related mortality was 5%. Foscarnet is a safe and effective agent for prevention of CMV disease in allogeneic transplant recipients unable to receive ganciclovir.

Allogeneic transplantation for recurrent or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with poor prognostic features after conditioning with thiotepa, busulfan, and cyclophosphamide: experience in 44 consecutive patients

We report the outcomes of 44 consecutive patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who participated in prospective studies of allogeneic transplantation after conditioning with thiotepa, busulfan and cyclophosphamide. Within a range of 27-57 years, the median age was 37. Of the 44 patients, 12 (27.2%) had high-grade lymphomas, 27 (61.4%) had intermediate-grade lymphomas, and five (11.3%) had low-grade lymphomas. Twenty-eight (63.6%) patients had chemotherapy refractory disease. Thirty (68.2%) patients had stage IV disease at the time of transplantation, involving the bone marrow in 19 (43.2%). Eight (18.1%) patients had undergone previous transplantation, and 13 (29.5%) patients had received high-dose CVP as induction within 2 months prior to transplantation. Thirty-eight (86.3%) patients had an HLA-identical donor, and 6 (13.6%) had a one-antigen mismatched related donor. Twenty (45.4%) patients received bone marrow and 24 (54.6%) received granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilized stem cells. The graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis contained cyclosporine or tacrolimus in combination with either methylprednisolone in 32 (72.7%) patients or with methotrexate in 12 (27.2%) patients. The actuarial probability of disease-free survival at 2 years is 23% (95% CI 13%-40%). Donor stem cell use was associated with a significantly decreased risk of treatment-related toxicity (p < 0.001), but with an increased risk for GVHD and delayed fungal and viral infections. These infections are linked not only to the use of donor-stem cells, but also to the methylprednisolone in the GVHD prophylaxis regimen. Improvements in the outcome of patients with advanced NHL and undergoing allogeneic transplantation will depend on the development of effective and non-toxic regimens for conditioning, GVHD prophylaxis, and opportunistic infections prophylaxis.

Allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation: considerations for donors

Allogeneic transplantation of cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) is now being increasingly performed, but safety considerations for hematologically normal PBSC donors have not been fully addressed. Progenitors are generally mobilized for collection from normal donors using recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). Although the short-term safety profile of rhG-CSF seems acceptable, experience remains limited and its optimal dose and schedule have not been defined. Minimal data exist regarding long-term safety of rhG-CSF, primarily derived from experience in patients with chronic neutropenia or cancer. An "ad hoc" workshop was recently convened among a group of investigators actively involved in the field of allogeneic stem cell transplantation to discuss the safety issues pertaining to normal PBSC donors. There was agreement on the following points: (1) On the basis of available data, it appears that rhG-CSF treatment and PBSC collection have an acceptable short-term safety profile in normal donors. However, the need for continued safety monitoring was recognized. (2) rhG-CSF doses up to 10 microg/kg/d show a consistent dose-response relationship with the mobilization (and collection) of CD34+ progenitor cells, and this dose is acceptable for routine clinical use. Whether higher doses are superior (or cost effective) remains to be determined, and they may produce more severe side effects. The potential risks of marked leukocytosis (arbitrarily defined as a leukocyte count of more than 70 x 10(9)/L) have been a concern, and rhG-CSF dose reduction is performed by many centers to maintain leukocyte counts below this level. (3) Transient post donation cytopenias, involving granulocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets, may occur and are at least partly related to the leukapheresis procedure. These are generally asymptomatic and self-limited; follow-up blood counts are not necessarily required. Reinfusion of autologous platelet-rich plasma should be considered for donors with expected postdonation thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 80 to 100 x 10(9)/L). (4) Donors should meet the eligibility criteria which apply to donors of apheresis platelets, with the exception that pediatric donors may also be considered. Any deviation from these criteria should have supporting documentation. There is insufficient information at this time to clearly establish definite contraindications for PBSC collection in a hematologically normal donor. Potential contraindications include the presence of inflammatory, autoimmune, or rheumatologic disorders, as well as atherosclerotic or cerebrovascular disease. (5) The creation of an International PBSC Donor Registry is desirable to facilitate monitoring the long-term effects of the procedure. Individual institutions or donor centers are encouraged to establish their own PBSC donor follow-up system, preferably with a standardized approach to data collection.