Comparison of 1-day vs 2-day dosing of high-dose melphalan followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma

Impact of melphalan day -1 vs day -2 on outcomes after autologous stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma

Background

Melphalan is the most common conditioning regimen used prior to autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT); however, there are varying data on optimal melphalan timing prior to transplant for best safety and efficacy. Historically, ASCT conditioning consisted of melphalan 200 mg/m2 on day 2 (D-2) (48 h prior to ASCT), but many institutions have since adopted a melphalan protocol with administration on day 1 (D-1) (24 h prior to SCT) or split dosing over the 2 days. The optimal timing of melphalan has yet to be determined.

Methods

In this single-center retrospective study, we analyzed transplant outcomes for patients between March 2011 and September 2020 admitted for high-dose, single-agent melphalan 200 mg/m2 on D-1 vs. D-2. The primary outcomes were time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment. Secondary outcomes include incidence of hospital readmission within 30 days, 2-year progression-free survival, and 2-year overall survival.

Results

A total of 366 patients were studied (D-2 n = 269 and D-1 n = 97). The incidence of high-risk cytogenetics was similar between the two groups (37% vs. 40%). Median days to absolute neutrophil count engraftment was similar at 11 days in the D-2 and D-1 cohort (n = 269, range 0-14, IQR 11-11 vs. n = 97, range 0-14, IQR 11-12). Median days to platelet engraftment >20,000/mcL was 18 days for D-2 melphalan (range: 0-28, IQR 17-20) versus 19 days for D-1 melphalan (range: 0-32, IQR 17-21). Overall survival at 2 years post-transplant was similar in both cohorts (94%; p = 0.76), and PFS was 70% in D-2 compared with 78% in D-1 (p = 0.15). In a multivariable model including age and performance status, hospital readmission within 30 days of transplant was higher in the D-1 cohort (odds ratio 1.9; p = 0.01).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates similar neutrophil and platelet engraftment in D-1 and D-2 melphalan cohorts with similar 2-year PFS and OS. Either D-2 or D-1 melphalan dosing schedule is safe and effective.

Melphalan on day -1 versus day -2 in patients with plasma cell disorders undergoing autologous stem cell transplant

High-dose melphalan-based autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) remains a standard of care for plasma cell disorders (PCDs). Currently, there is variability in the literature surrounding the timing of melphalan administration to avoid potential cytotoxic effects, although the administration has been safely proposed when given at least 8 hours prior to stem cell infusion. The objectives of this study were to assess differences in safety and efficacy outcomes between day -1 and day -2 single-dose melphalan administration in patients undergoing ASCT for PCDs. A retrospective chart review was performed at our institution comparing patients receiving melphalan on day -1 to an equal number of patients receiving melphalan on day -2. The primary endpoint was time to neutrophil engraftment from stem cell infusion. Univariate analyses were performed. Mean time to neutrophil engraftment from stem cell infusion was identical at 10.7 days for both cohorts (p = 0.88). Mean time to platelet engraftment from stem cell infusion was shorter with day -1 administration (17.4 vs. 18.6 days, p = 0.06). Mean time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment from melphalan infusion were significantly shorter with day -1 administration. Similar outcomes were observed for length of hospitalization, infection- and mucositis-related toxicities, hematologic response, transplant-related mortality, and overall survival. Our findings show no difference in time to neutrophil engraftment from stem cell infusion and a trend toward shorter time to platelet engraftment with day -1 administration. Based on our study, day -1 melphalan administration is an acceptable and safe practice.

Efficacy and Safety of High-Dose Chemotherapy with Treosulfan and Melphalan in Multiple Myeloma

(1) Background: Upfront treatment consolidation with high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has relevantly contributed to achieving durable remissions following induction treatment in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The optimization of HDCT regimens can, therefore, essentially contribute to improving the depth and duration of tumor remissions. To date, melphalan at 200 mg/m² is the standard HDCT regimen for fit MM patients. In our previous work, we showed promising efficacy and safety results for treosulfan (14 g/m²) and melphalan (200 mg/m²) (TreoMel) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients receiving ASCT. Based on these data, TreoMel became the standard of care for fit MM patients at our institution. (2) Methods: We identified 115 consecutive MM patients who underwent consolidation with TreoMel between 01/2020 and 08/2022 at the University Hospital of Bern. We analyzed the safety and efficacy data, as well as the treosulfan pharmacokinetics, correlating them with tumor responses. (3) Results: A complete response (CR) rate of 84% was achieved, which is comparable to the CR rate reported for the quadruplet combination. The median PFS was 30 months (95% CI: 20.4-not reached), and the 31-month OS rate was 83%. The median area under the curve (AUC) for treosulfan was 952.5 mg*h/L (range: 527.4-1781.4), and the median peak level was 332.3 mg/L (range: 168-554). The treosulfan pharmacokinetics showed no significant correlation with MM responses after HDCT and ASCT. However, female patients had a significantly higher AUC (p = 0.007) and peak value (p = 0.001), and the higher values were associated with longer hospitalizations. (4) Conclusions: Treatment consolidation with TreoMel HDCT demonstrated a promising efficacy and safety profile in our cohort of MM patients and deserves further investigation in prospective studies.

Prevalence of acute oral mucosal damage secondary to the use of systemic antineoplastics: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of acute oral mucosal toxicities in non-irradiated patients treated with systemic antineoplastics agents. The secondary objective was to find out differences in its prevalence among the different types of systemic antineoplastics.

STUDY DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Articles from 2010 to July 2022 were retrieved and included if patients were adults undergoing oral assessment after administration of commercially available systemic antineoplastics. Data was extracted and pooled proportions were estimated using random-effect model method (Der Simonian and Lair).

RESULTS

Eighty-two articles were included in the study. The overall prevalence of acute oral mucosal damage across studies was 38.2% (95% CI: 33.1%-43.3%). The prevalence was 42.9% (95% CI: 32.8%-53%) in patients treated with chemotherapy alone, 38% (95% CI: 29.1%-47%) in patients treated with a combination of chemotherapy and targeted therapies, and 32.1% (95% CI: 26.8%-37.5%) in targeted therapies alone-treated patients. No statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence of oral mucosal toxicities between the different types of systemic antineoplastic treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral mucosal toxicity is a major side effect in non-irradiated cancer patients undergoing systemic antineoplastics.

Challenges associated with test dose pharmacokinetic predictions of high dose melphalan exposure in patients with multiple myeloma

Aim

To evaluate the accuracy of melphalan test dose pharmacokinetic (PK) predictions of the subsequent high dose (HDM) area under the concentration-versus-time curve (AUC) and to identify sources of prediction error (PE).

Methods

A prospective multicentre PK study was conducted in 40 myeloma patients of median age 60 (range:35–71) years using a 20 mg/m² test dose administered 1–3 days prior to HDM (predominantly 180 mg/m²). PK data were collected post the test and high doses to compare predicted versus actual AUCs determined using the trapezoidal rule. Test and high dose infusion concentration, volume and duration and the time from preparation to infusion were compared using the paired Wilcoxin rank sign test. The impact of Melphalan administration parameters on PE was evaluated using the Mann–Whitney test. The predictive capacity of a previously published population PK (PopPK) model was also examined.

Results

Predicted HDM AUC was within 15% of the observed values in only 63% of patients when analysed using the trapezoidal rule and 70% of patients using PopPK. Test dose infusion concentration, volume, duration and time from preparation to infusion were significantly lower than for HDM (p < 0.005). Test dose administration within 15 min of reconstitution (n = 5) was associated with significantly lower PE than administration times of 16–60 min (n = 22), p < 0.05. Test and HDM infusion concentrations were lower in patients with large PE (> ± 15%), but the differences were not significant (p = 0.078, 0.228, respectively).

Conclusion

Test dose PK has the potential to predict subsequent HDM exposure to achieve a target AUC once melphalan administration parameters are optimised to account for stability issues in the formulation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00228-022-03396-x.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Melphalan in a Large Cohort of Autologous and Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Recipients: Towards Individualized Dosing Regimens

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

High-dose melphalan is an integral part of conditioning chemotherapy prior to both autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. While underexposure may lead to relapse, overexposure may lead to toxicities include mucositis, diarrhea, bone marrow suppression, and rarely sinusoidal obstruction syndrome. In this study, we describe the population pharmacokinetics of high-dose melphalan as a first step towards individualized dosing.

METHODS

Melphalan samples were collected in patients receiving an allogeneic or autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation between August 2016 and August 2020 at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. A population-pharmacokinetic model was developed using NONMEM.

RESULTS

Based on a total of 3418 samples from 452 patients receiving a median cumulative dose of 140 mg/m2, a two-compartment population-pharmacokinetic model was developed. Fat-free mass was a covariate for clearance, central volume of distribution, and inter-compartmental clearance, while glomerular filtration rate predicted clearance. Simulation studies showed that based on fixed body surface area-based dosing, renal impairment has a higher impact in increasing melphalan exposure compared with obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed model adequately describes the population pharmacokinetics of melphalan in adult patients receiving a hematopoietic cell transplantation. This model can be used to define the therapeutic window of melphalan, and subsequently to develop individualized dosing regimens aiming for that therapeutic window in all patients.

The incidence of severe oral mucositis in patients undergoing different conditioning regimens in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

PURPOSE

Oral mucositis is a common complication during haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This study aimed to assess the incidence of severe mucositis in patients undergoing different HSCT regimens.

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective study reviewed daily oral assessment for 467 consecutive patients who underwent different transplant regimens for matched unrelated or related allogeneic HSCT with post-transplant methotrexate, haploidentical or mismatched HSCT with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy), or autologous HSCT. Oral care and cryotherapy with melphalan were used. Patient demographic data, oral mucositis WHO grade, use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) were collected.

RESULTS

Grade 3-4 oral mucositis was common in myeloablative total body irradiation (TBI)-based regimens cyclophosphamide/ TBI (CyTBI) (71%) and fludarabine/ TBI (FluTBI) with PTCy (46%), as well as reduced-intensity fludarabine/melphalan (FluMel) (43%) and carmustine/etoposide/cytarabine/melphalan (BEAM) autologous HSCT (41%). In contrast, grade 3-4 oral mucositis was less common in reduced-intensity haploidentical regimen melphalan/fludarabine/TBI with PTCy (19%), all non-myeloablative regimens (0-9%) and high-dose melphalan autologous HSCT (26%). TPN and PCA use were correlated to oral mucositis severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe oral mucositis was associated with myeloablative TBI, methotrexate and melphalan in combination with methotrexate and in BEAM. Use of PTCy was preferable over methotrexate to prevent oral mucositis.

Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Model of Neutropenia in Patients With Myeloma Receiving High-Dose Melphalan for Autologous Stem Cell Transplant

High-dose melphalan (HDM) is part of the conditioning regimen in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) receiving autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). However, individual sensitivity to melphalan varies, and many patients experience severe toxicities. Prolonged severe neutropenia is one of the most severe toxicities and contributes to potentially life-threatening infections and failure of ASCT. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is given to stimulate neutrophil proliferation after melphalan administration. The aim of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model capable of predicting neutrophil kinetics in individual patients with MM undergoing ASCT with high-dose melphalan and G-CSF administration. The extended PK/PD model incorporated several covariates, including G-CSF regimen, stem cell dose, hematocrit, sex, creatinine clearance, p53 fold change, and race. The resulting model explained portions of interindividual variability in melphalan exposure, therapeutic effect, and feedback regulation of G-CSF on neutrophils, thus enabling simulation of various doses and prediction of neutropenia duration.

Addition of doxycycline to ciprofloxacin for infection prophylaxis during autologous stem cell transplants for multiple myeloma

BACKGROUND

The most commonly used antibacterial prophylaxis during autologous stem cell transplants (ASCT) for multiple myeloma (MM) involves a fluoroquinolone, such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin. We assessed the impact of adding doxycycline to ciprofloxacin as routine antibacterial prophylaxis in these patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records and our ASCT database to analyze rates and types of bacterial infections in MM patients who underwent ASCT in our institution.

RESULTS

Among 419 patients, 118 received ciprofloxacin alone (cipro group), and 301 ciprofloxacin and doxycycline (cipro-doxy group). Neutropenic fever (NF) developed in 63 (53%) and 108 (36%) patients of the cipro and cipro-doxy groups, respectively (p = 0.010). The number of documented bacteremic episodes was 13 (11%) and 14 (4.7%) in the two groups, respectively (p = 0.017). Antimicrobial resistance and Clostridium difficile infections were uncommon. Transplant-related mortality was 1% in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of doxycycline to standard prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin seems to reduce the number of NF episodes and documented bacterial infections in patients with MM undergoing ASCT, without increasing rate of serious complications.

Comparison of conditioning regimen toxicities among autologous stem cell transplantation eligible multiple myeloma patients: High-dose melphalan versus high-dose melphalan and bortezomib

Background Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) remains the standard of care for younger patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Currently, high-dose melphalan (HDM) is recommended as conditioning regimen before AHSCT. Preclinical data suggest that combining bortezomib and melphalan has synergistic effect against multiple myeloma cells. Bortezomib and HDM (Bor-HDM) combination as conditioning regimen has been investigated by many other investigators. Objective In this retrospective study, we aimed to compare transplant-related toxicities and hematologic recovery of HDM and Bor-HDM conditioning regimens. Method We retrospectively evaluated hematologic recovery and toxicity profile in patients with MM who received AHSCT with either HDM ( n = 114) or Bor-HDM ( n = 53) conditioning regimen. Results Nonhematologic toxicities were comparable between HDM and Bor-HDM conditioning regimen, except mucositis and diarrhea being more frequent in the Bor-HDM group. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment time and duration of hospital stay were significantly shorter for HDM regimen. Conclusions In this retrospective analysis, we observed engraftment kinetics and duration of hospitalization were significantly worse in Bor-HDM conditioning regimen with manageable toxicities. Randomized studies are needed to further compare Bor- HDM regimen to HDM in terms of response rates, toxicities, and transplant-related mortality.

Associations of High-Dose Melphalan Pharmacokinetics and Outcomes in the Setting of a Randomized Cryotherapy Trial

High-dose melphalan followed by autologous stem cell transplantation remains the standard of care for eligible patients with multiple myeloma, but disease response and toxicity, including severe mucositis, varies among patients. Our randomized trial investigated duration of cryotherapy (2 and 6 h) for reduction of mucositis prevalence and severity and explored factors associated with variability in pharmacokinetics and outcomes from melphalan therapy. The results demonstrate that 2-h is at least as effective as 6-h cryotherapy in decreasing severe mucositis. From a population pharmacokinetic model, we identified that fat-free mass, hematocrit, and creatinine clearance were significant covariates, as reported previously. Furthermore, we observed the rs4240803 SLC7A5 polymorphism was significantly associated with pharmacokinetic variability, and pharmacokinetics was associated with both mucositis and neutropenia. However, melphalan exposure was not associated with progression-free or overall survival in our dataset. These findings contribute to ongoing efforts to personalize melphalan dosing in transplant patients.

Safety and efficacy of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor biosimilars in engraftment after autologous stem cell transplantation for haematological malignancies: a 4-year, single institute experience with different conditioning regimens

BACKGROUND

Filgrastim biosimilars have recently been introduced into clinical practice. To date biosimilars have demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety as the originator in chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Published experience in engraftment after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is limited and concerns relatively few patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

With the aim of assessing the efficacy and the safety of filgrastim biosimilars in post-ASCT bone marrow recovery, we conducted a single institution, retrospective study in 56 lymphoma and myeloma patients who received filgrastim biosimilars (Tevagrastim(®) and Zarzio(®)) at standard doses from day 5. We compared our results with recently published data on the originator. A cost analysis of each biosimilar was performed.

RESULTS

Neutrophil counts recovered in 55 patients. The median number of filgrastim biosimilar vials injected was seven per patient. The median time to neutrophil and platelet recovery was 10 and 12 days, respectively. Twenty-six patients had febrile neutropenia, in half of whom the agent involved was identified. In the cost analysis, the use of Tevagrastim(®) and Zarzio(®) was associated with cost reductions of 56% and of 86%, respectively.

DISCUSSION

Despite differences in CD34+ cell counts and time of starting filgrastim, our results in terms of time to engraftment and median number of vials injected are similar to published data. Comparing our results by single conditioning regimen to recent literature data, the time to engraftment and duration of hospitalisation were equivalent. Significant differences were observed in the incidence of febrile neutropenia, perhaps due to different preventive and prophylactic protocols for infections. Although prospective studies should be performed to confirm our results, filgrastim biosimilars were found to be effective and safe in engraftment after ASCT.

Not too little, not too much-just right! (Better ways to give high dose melphalan)

Of the 13 286 autologous haematopoietic cell transplant procedures reported in the US in 2010-2012 for plasma cell disorders, 10 557 used single agent, high-dose melphalan. Despite 30 years of clinical and pharmacokinetic (PK) experience with high-dose melphalan, and its continuing central role as cytoreductive therapy for large numbers of patients with myeloma, the pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics of melphalan are still in their infancy. The addition of protectant agents such as amifostine and palifermin allows dose escalation to 280 mg/m(2), but at these doses it is cardiac, rather than gut, toxicity that is dose-limiting. Although combination with additional alkylating agents is feasible, the additional TRM may not be justified when so many post-consolidation therapies are available for myeloma patients. Current research should optimise the delivery of this single-agent chemotherapy. This includes the use of newer formulations and real-time PKs. These strategies may allow a safe and effective platform for adding synergistic novel therapies and provide a window of lymphodepletion for the addition of immunotherapies.