Autotransplantation following busulfan, etoposide and cyclophosphamide in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Safety and efficacy of high-dose cytarabine MEAM therapy and other treatments for auto-peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: A retrospective comparative study

AIM

The MEAM regimen consisting of ranimustine (MCNU), etoposide (ETP), cytarabine (Ara-C), and melphalan (MEL) is widely used before auto-peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto-PBSCT) for malignant lymphoma in Japan. The MEAM regimen generally consists of 200-400 mg/m² for 4 days, but we decided to increase the dosage of Ara-C from the standard to 2 g/m² for 2 days with the aim of increasing drug transferability to the central nervous system. We evaluate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of high-dose Ara-C MEAM therapy.

METHODS

The high-dose Ara-C MEAM protocol consisted of MCNU 300 mg/m² on day -7, ETP 200 mg/m² on days -6, -5, -4, -3 and Ara-C 2 g/m² on day -4 -3, and MEL 140 mg/m² on day -2. We retrospectively analyzed 37 cases of malignant lymphoma at our institution between May 2014 and July 2020.

RESULTS

All patients got engraftment and there were no cases of treatment-related mortality. In all cases, the 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) after transplantation were 80.6% and 65.7%, respectively. Twenty-one cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma recurrence, for which there is proven usefulness of auto-PBSCT, showed good results after transplantation, with the 3-year OS and PFS after transplantation being 100% and 74.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The safety and efficacy of high-dose Ara-C MEAM therapy were demonstrated, but the expected therapeutic effect on central nervous system lesions could not be fully evaluated owing to the small number of cases.

Diagnosis and Treatment Using Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation in Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Consolidation therapy has improved the outcome of newly diagnosed PCNSL patients. Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) was the first consolidation strategy used and represented the gold standard for many years, but at the expense of a high risk of neurotoxicity. Thus, alternative strategies are being investigated in order to improve disease outcomes and to spare the neurocognitive side effects due to WBRT.

METHODS

We reviewed published studies on PCNSL patients treated with HDC/ASCT, focusing on the efficacy and safety of the conditioning regimens. Prospective and retrospective studies, published in the English language from 1992 to 2022, in high-quality international journals were identified in PubMed.

RESULTS

Consolidation with HDC containing highly CNS-penetrating agents (thiotepa, busulfan or BCNU) followed by ASCT provided long-term disease control and survival in PCNSL patients. Two prospective randomized studies, comparing HDC/ASCT versus WBRT, reported similar progression-free survival (PFS) and similar results on the decline in neurocognitive functions in a substantial proportion of patients after WBRT but not after HDC-ASCT. A recent randomized study comparing HDC/ASCT versus non-myeloablative consolidation reported a longer PFS in transplanted patients.

CONCLUSION

ASCT conditioned with regimens, including highly CNS-penetrating agents, represents, to date, the best choice among the available consolidation strategies for fit newly diagnosed PCNSL patients.

Busulfan, Melphalan, and Etoposide (BuME) Showed an Equivalent Effect to Busulfan, Cyclophosphamide, and Etoposide (BuCE) as Conditioning Therapy for Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Relapsed or High-Risk Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A Multicenter Randomized Phase II Study bythe Consortium for Improving Survival of Lymphoma (CISL)

PURPOSE

High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard management for relapsed or high-risk non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We reported the busulfan, melphalan, and etoposide (BuME) conditioning regimen was effective in patients with relapsed or high-risk NHL. Moreover, the busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (BuCE) conditioning regimen has been used widely in ASCT for NHL. Therefore, based on these encouraging results, this randomized phase II multicenter trial compared the outcomes of BuME and BuCE as conditioning therapies for ASCT in patients with NHL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were randomly assigned to receive either BuME (n=36) or BuCE (n=39). The BuME regimen was comprised of busulfan (3.2 mg/kg/day, intravenously) administered on days -7, -6, and -5, etoposide (400 mg/m2 intravenously) on days -5 and -4, and melphalan (50 mg/m2/day intravenously) on days -3 and -2. The BuCE regimen was comprised of busulfan (3.2 mg/kg/day intravenously) on days -7, -6, and -5, etoposide (400 mg/m2/day intravenously) on days -5 and -4, and cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg/day intravenously) on days -3 and -2. The primary endpoint was 2-year progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

Seventy-five patients were enrolled. Eleven patients (30.5%) in the BuME group and 13 patients (33.3%) in the BuCE group had disease progression or died. The 2-year PFS rate was 65.4% in the BuME group and 60.6% in the BuCE group (p=0.746). There were no non-relapse mortalities within 100 days after transplantation.

CONCLUSION

There were no significant differences in PFS between the two groups. Therefore, busulfan-based conditioning regimens, BuME and BuCE, may be important treatment substitutes for the BCNU-containing regimens.

BuCyE can safely replace BEAM as a conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in the treatment of refractory and relapsed lymphomas

INTRODUCTION

Hodgkin's (HL) and non-Hodgkin's (NHL) lymphomas have usually high cure rates. The standard of care for chemosensitive relapsed/refractory lymphoma patients is salvage chemotherapy followed by AHSCT. Due to carmustine and melphalan shortages, alternative pre-AHSCT conditioning regimens with similar tolerance and response were needed.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy and toxicity profile between relapsed/refractory HL and NHL lymphomas given BEAM or BuCyE.

METHODS

A retrospective analyses of 122 patients in a Brazilian center was made. OS and PFS were calculated by Kaplan-Meier and compared by log rank. Toxicity and engraftment data were also compared.

RESULTS

Most clinical characteristics were similar between groups, although a higher frequency of grade ≥ 2 mucositis (p = .01) was seen in the BuCyE group. No significant difference in OS or PFS were observed between the groups.

CONCLUSION

BEAM and BuCyE are well tolerated with similar toxicity profiles and survival outcomes. Therefore, BuCyE conditioning regimen can be considered an alternative to BEAM.

Treatment with intravenous busulfan, melphalan, and etoposide followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a multicenter study from the consortium for improving survival of lymphoma

Several high-dose therapy (HDT) conditioning regimens have been used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), such as bis-chloroethylnitrosourea (BCNU)/etoposide/cytosine arabinoside/melphalan (BEAM), BCNU/etoposide/cytosine arabinoside/cyclophosphamide (BEAC), and cyclophosphamide/BCNU/etoposide (CBV). BCNU is an active drug in HDT of NHL, but the supply is limited in some countries, including Korea. Busulfan has been used in allogeneic and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This phase II study evaluated the efficacy of busulfan/melphalan/etoposide (BuME) as a conditioning regimen for HDT in relapsed or high-risk NHL. The regimen consisted of intravenous busulfan (3.2 mg/kg/day) on days -8, -7, and -6, etoposide (400 mg/m² /day) on days -5 and -4, and melphalan (50 mg/m² /day) on days -3 and -2. A total of 46 patients were included in the study, with 36 (78.3%) achieving a complete response after ASCT. The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates for all patients were 46.7% (95% CI, 31.8-60.4%) and 63.7% (95% CI, 47.7-76.0%), respectively. There was no development of veno-occlusive disease and no treatment-related deaths within 100 days after ASCT. These results indicate that a BuME regimen is well-tolerated and effective for patients with relapsed or high-risk NHL, and may be comparable to some previously used regimens. This regimen may be useful as a substitute for BCNU-containing regimens.

Phase II study of safety and efficacy of BEB (bendamustine, etoposide, and busulfan) conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) is an effective treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). However, recent supply issues and toxicity of carmustine have necessitated a new conditioning regimen. We conducted a multicenter, phase II study of BEB (busulfan, etoposide, and bendamustine) conditioning regimen for ASCT in patients with NHL. Thirty-one patients were enrolled and underwent ASCT with the BEB conditioning regimen. The most common subtype was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 23, 74.2%). Nine patients (29.0%) had a history of relapse, and 18 patients (58.1%) received more than 2 lines of chemotherapy before ASCT. A median number of 6.05 × 10⁶/kg CD34 cells were infused, and all patients engrafted after a median period of 11 days. Thirteen patients (41.9%) experienced neutropenic fever, and 16 patients (51.6%) had grade 3 or 4 toxicities during ASCT. No one had a documented infection, veno-occlusive disease, or treatment-related death. Three-month complete remission rate was 81.8%. Median follow-up period of 15 months showed 6 patients (19.4%) relapsed or progressed and 3 patients died. The estimated 2-year progression-free survival and overall survival rate were 73.0% and 89.8%, respectively. Our results show that BEB conditioning regimens for ASCT are feasible with tolerable toxicity in patients with NHL.

Strategies to improve outcomes of autologous hematopoietic cell transplant in lymphoma

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HDT-AHCT) remains an effective therapy in lymphoma. Over the past several decades, HDT with BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan) and CBV (cyclophosphamide, carmustine, and etoposide) have been the most frequently used preparatory regimens for AHCT in Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This article reviews alternative combination conditioning regimens, as well as novel transplant strategies that have been developed, to reduce transplant-related toxicity while maintaining or improving efficacy. These data demonstrate that incorporation of maintenance therapy posttransplant might be the best way to improve outcomes.

Efficacy of Standard Dose R-CHOP Alternating With R-HDAC Followed by Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation as Initial Therapy of Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a Single-Institution Experience

BACKGROUND

Young fit patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) are commonly treated with induction chemotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT). Induction regimens with modifications of R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) and/or incorporation of high-dose cytarabine (HDAC) appear more effective than R-CHOP alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We adopted a modification of the Nordic protocol using standard, rather than higher dose R-CHOP, alternating with HDAC (rituximab plus HDAC), for 3 cycles each or, for patients already treated with R-CHOP alone before referral for AHCT, an additional 2 cycles of rituximab plus HDAC. We herein report our experience with 28 patients treated with this regimen who proceeded to AHCT, and compare their outcomes with patients treated with either standard-dose R-CHOP (n = 38) or R-HCVAD/MA (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone alternating with methotrexate, and cytarabine; n = 21), before AHCT.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up duration of 26 months, our data show that this modification of the Nordic regimen is a highly effective pre-AHCT first-line therapy for MCL (3-year progression-free and overall survival rates of 69% and 75%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

By using a less intense induction, this regimen can serve as a platform for combined use of novel agents, with less risk of additive toxicity.

Prognostic value of pre-transplant PET/CT in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation

Pre-transplant PET/CT may be prognostic in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We reviewed relapsed and pre-transplant PET/CT scans of 32 patients with DLBCL treated with ASCT to determine the Deauville score and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max). Patients with a Deauville score of 4 had a significantly inferior prognosis. The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) for patients with Deauville 1-3 score was 64%, compared to 0% for Deauville 4, while the 3-year overall survival (OS) was 84% and 25%, respectively (p < .001, p = .002). The change in the SUV_max (>66 versus ≤66%) was not predictive of PFS or OS, but a high pre-transplant SUV_max (>6) demonstrated a trend towards an inferior PFS. Pre-transplant PET/CT is a tool for identifying DLBCL patients at high risk for treatment failure with ASCT and could be used to risk-stratify patients in prospective clinical trials of novel transplant strategies.

Outcomes after autologous SCT in lymphoma patients grouped by weight

Obesity continues to be an increasing global health issue contributing to the complexity of chemotherapy dosing in the field of SCT. Investigation into the optimal dosing weight used to calculate chemotherapy doses in obese patients undergoing SCT is limited and inconclusive. Our single-center, retrospective study compared safety and efficacy outcomes by body mass index (BMI) for 476 adult lymphoma patients who underwent auto-SCT with a myeloablative chemotherapeutic regimen of BU, CY and etoposide dosed using adjusted body weight. Three weight groups categorized based on BMI were defined: normal/underweight ⩽24.9 kg/m(2), overweight 25-29.9 kg/m(2) and obese ⩾30 kg/m(2). Severity of mucositis, incidence of secondary malignancy, incidence of bacteremia and median hospital length of stay did not differ among the groups. The median times to absolute neutrophil count and platelet recovery were 10 days (P=0.75) and 14 days (P=0.17), respectively. Obese patients had a lower 100-day mortality compared with other weight groups, although this did not translate into an OS benefit. OS and disease relapse were similar among the groups. Our study demonstrates that use of adjusted body weight to calculate chemotherapy doses does not negatively have an impact on outcomes in obese patients undergoing auto-SCT with BU, CY and etoposide.

Conditioning chemotherapy dose adjustment in obese patients: a review and position statement by the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation practice guideline committee

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is a potentially life-saving therapy for patients with malignant and nonmalignant disease states. This article reviews the current published literature on the dosing of pharmacologic agents used for HCT preparative regimens with specific focus on the obese patient population. The review found that dose adjustments for obesity have, to date, been based empirically or extrapolated from published data in the nontransplantation patient population. As a result, the Committee determined that clear standards or dosing guidelines are unable to be made for the obese population because Level I and II evidence are unavailable at this time. Instead, the Committee provides a current published literature review to serve as a platform for conditioning agent dose selection in the setting of obesity. A necessary goal should be to encourage future prospective trials in this patient population because further information is needed to enhance our knowledge of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of conditioning agents in the setting of obesity.

Busulfan-containing conditioning regimens are optimal preparative regimens for autologous stem cell transplant in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

We retrospectively examined the outcomes of 56 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who underwent autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) with BEAM/BEAC (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan/cyclophosphamide) or busulfan (Bu)-containing conditioning regimens. The Bu group had lower disease-related mortality and more frequent achievement of complete remission (CR) after ASCT from partial remission (PR) or refractory status before ASCT compared with the BEAM/BEAC group. The estimated 2-year EFS (59.3% vs. 15.0%) and overall survival (OS) (70.2% vs. 42.0%) in pre-ASCT rituximab-exposed patients with DLBCL were higher in the Bu group. In patients with high-risk DLBCL exposed to rituximab with first remission, the Bu group had better EFS (p = 0.004) and OS (p = 0.053) rates, while survival rates for relapsed/refractory patients did not differ between groups. Bu regimens are highly effective for preparing patients with DLBCL with previous exposure to rituximab for ASCT, especially in high-risk patients who achieved a first remission.

Yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan plus busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (BuCyE) versus BuCyE alone as a conditioning regimen for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Background

Radioimmunotherapy agents have a highly significant role in autologous stem cell transplantation as they improve tolerability and increase the efficacy of the conditioning regimen.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and toxicity of yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) combined with intravenous busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (Z-BuCyE) compared with those of BuCyE alone followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The efficacy, toxicity, and engraftment characteristics were compared between 19 patients who received Z-BuCyE and 19 historical controls who received BuCyE.

Results

The 2 treatment groups shared similar baseline characteristics. The median time to platelet engraftment (>20×10⁹/L) and neutrophil engraftment (>0.5×10⁹/L) did not significantly differ between the Z-BuCyE group (12 days and 10 days, respectively) and the BuCyE group (12 days and 10 days, respectively). No significant differences were observed between the groups with respect to toxicities and treatment-related mortality. The median follow-up period was 30.4 months, and median event-free survival was generally better in the Z-BuCyE group (12.5 months) vs. the BuCyE group (6.2 months, P=0.236). No significant difference in overall survival between the groups was noted.

Conclusion

Adding ibritumomab tiuxetan to BuCyE high-dose chemotherapy may benefit patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell NHL with no risk of additional toxicity.

Fludarabine as a risk factor for poor stem cell harvest, treatment-related MDS and AML in follicular lymphoma patients after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation

Fludarabine is an effective treatment for follicular lymphoma (FL), but exposure to it negatively impacts stem cell mobilization and may increase the risk of subsequent myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia (t-MDS/AML). We hypothesized that the risk that fludarabine imparts to stem cell mobilization and t-MDS/AML would be affected by dose or timing. All patients with FL treated at Cleveland Clinic from 1991 to 2007 with autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation were evaluated. Recursive partitioning analysis was used to explore associations of fludarabine and mitoxantrone dose and timing with poor stem cell harvest and t-MDS/AML. We identified 171 patients, of whom 52 previously received fludarabine. Patients exposed to fludarabine prior to auto-HCT were more likely to require >5 days of leukapheresis (P<0.001) and second stem cell mobilization (P<0.001), especially at a cumulative dose >150 mg/m(2). Univariable risk factors for t-MDS/AML included the number of chemotherapy regimens before auto-HCT, the need for >5 days of leukapheresis to collect CD34+ cells and fludarabine exposure in a dose-dependent manner, particularly when >500 mg/m(2). A cumulative dose of fludarabine >150 mg/m(2) increases the risk for poor stem cell harvests and any exposure increases the risk of t-MDS/AML, with the greatest risk being at doses >500 mg/m(2).

A phase I trial of high-dose clofarabine, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with primary refractory and relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Clofarabine has significant single-agent activity in patients with indolent and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma and synergizes with DNA-damaging drugs. Treatment, however, may be associated with severe and prolonged myelosuppression. We conducted a phase I trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of clofarabine in combination with high-dose etoposide and cyclophosphamide followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Patients received clofarabine at 30-70 mg/m(2)/day on days -6 to -2 in successive cohorts, in combination with etoposide 60 mg/kg (day -8), and cyclophosphamide 100 mg/kg (day -6), followed by filgrastim-mobilized PBSC on day 0. Sixteen patients of median age 57 (range: 32-67) years with diffuse large B cell (n = 8), follicular (n = 5), or mantle cell (n = 3) lymphoma that was either primary refractory (n = 2) or relapsed and refractory (n = 14) were treated at 5 clofarabine dose levels: 30 (n = 3), 40 (n = 3), 50 (n = 3), 60 (n = 3), and 70 mg/m(2)/day (n = 4) in combination with etoposide and cyclophosphamide. All patients had grade 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Grade 3-4 nonhematologic toxicity was evenly distributed across all 5 dose levels, and included diarrhea (n = 3), mucositis (n = 1), nausea (n = 1), reversible elevation of alanine aminotranferease/aspartate aminotransferase (AST/ALT) (n = 1) or bilirubin (n = 1), and hemorrhagic cystitis (n = 1); all resolved by day +30 following transplantation. The MTD was not reached. No treatment-related deaths occurred. At day +30, 13 patients achieved a complete remission (CR) or unconfirmed CR (CR(U)), and 2 patients achieved a partial response, for an overall response rate of 94%. After a median follow-up of 691 days, the 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 63% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 43%-91%) and 68% (95% CI: 49%-96%), respectively. We recommend clofarabine 70 mg/m(2)/day × 5 days as a phase II dose in combination with high-dose etoposide and cyclophosphamide for further testing as a preparative regimen in NHL patients undergoing autologous PBSC transplantation.

BEAM or BuCyE high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients: a single center comparative analysis of efficacy and toxicity

We compared the efficacy and toxicity of BEAM (BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan) and BuCyE (busulfan, cyclophosphamide and etoposide), given prior to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), in 65 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Of these 65 patients, 43 received BEAM and 22 received BuCyE. Their age, gender distribution, International Prognostic Index, status of disease at ASCT and median number of infused CD34(+) cells/kg were similar. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment were significantly faster in the BuCyE group. Rates of mucositis, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding and infections were similar in the two groups. Median overall survival and event-free survival did not differ significantly between the two groups. These findings indicate that BuCyE is an effective conditioning regimen, showing similar survival outcomes and toxicity profiles as BEAM. Furthermore, hematologic recovery is significantly faster in patients given the BuCyE conditioning regimen.

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease following stem cell transplantation: incidence, clinical course, and outcome

The occurrence of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) has been reported in up to 60% of patients following stem cell transplantation (SCT), with incidence varying widely between studies depending on the type of transplant, conditioning regimen, and criteria used to make the diagnosis. Severe VOD is characterized by high mortality and progression to multiorgan failure (MOF); however, there is no consensus on how to evaluate severity. This review and analysis of published reports attempts to clarify these issues by calculating the overall mean incidence of VOD and mortality from severe VOD, examining the effect of changes in SCT practice on the incidence of VOD over time, and discussing the methods used to evaluate severity. Across 135 studies performed between 1979 and October 2007, the overall mean incidence of VOD was 13.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]=13.3%-14.1%). The mean incidence of VOD was significantly lower between 1979-1994 than between 1994-2007 (11.5% [95% CI, 10.9%-12.1%] vs 14.6% [95% CI, 14.0%-15.2%]; P <.05). The mortality rate from severe VOD was 84.3% (95% CI, 79.6%-88.9%); most of these patients had MOF, which also was the most frequent cause of death. Thus, VOD is less common than early reports suggested, but the current incidence appears to be relatively stable despite recent advances in SCT, including the advent of reduced-intensity conditioning. The evolution of MOF in the setting of VOD after SCT can be considered a reliable indication of severity and a predictor of poor outcome.

Busulfan and cyclophosphamide (Bu/Cy) as a preparative regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a single-institution experience

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been established as a standard form of therapy for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). While many high-dose chemotherapy combinations are used, no single regimen has proved superior over another. Here, we report our single center's experience in patients with NHL undergoing ASCT with the combination of busulfan and cyclophosphamide (Bu/Cy). This study is a retrospective analysis of 78 consecutive patients with NHL who underwent ASCT with Bu/Cy at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. Data were collected through review of electronic medical records. A total of 78 patients with NHL underwent ASCT with Bu/Cy preparative therapy between 1996 and 2006. Median follow-up for survivors was 5.0 years (range, 6 months to 12 years). Significant transplantation-associated complications included 9 documented bacterial infections, 4 cases of engraftment syndrome, 3 cases of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD), 6 cases of cardiac complications, and 2 cases of pulmonary fibrosis. The 100-day treatment-related mortality (TRM) was 1%. At 3 years, progression-free survival (PFS) was 48% (95% confidence interval [CI]=37% to 59%) and overall survival (OS) was 65% (95% CI=53% to 74%). Our data indicate that in patients with NHL undergoing ASCT, Bu/Cy has efficacy and toxicity comparable to that of other reported regimens.

Yttrium-90-ibritumomab tiuxetan in combination with intravenous busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Radiolabelled immunotherapy agents have an increasingly significant role in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) by improving the tolerability and increasing the efficacy of the conditioning regimen, thereby reducing the relapse risk. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of yttrium-90-ibritumomab tiuxetan ((90)Y-ibritumomab) combined with intravenous busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (Bu/Cy/E) followed by ASCT in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

METHODS

Each patient received a single dose of (90)Y-ibritumomab (0.4 mCi/kg on day -14) with Bu/Cy/E as a conditioning regimen.

RESULTS

The patient cohort consisted of 19 individuals (ten males), of median age 51 years (range, 25-63 years). Sixteen patients had received two or more chemotherapy regimens before transplantation. Histologies were diffuse large B-cell (n = 14), follicular (n = 2), mantle cell (n = 2), and Burkitt lymphoma (n = 1). All patients engrafted. The median time to neutrophil engraftment was 10 days and time to platelet engraftment was 10 days. Nineteen patients were evaluable for response. The objective overall response rate was 84.2% (16/19): continued CR, 36.8% (7/19); induced CR, 36.8% (7/19); and PR, 10.5% (2/19). With a median follow-up of 29.4 months (13.4-36.6), the estimated 3-year overall survival and event-free survival rates were 52.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 45.8-59.4) and 26.3% (95% CI 19.8-32.8), respectively. Adverse events were similar to those seen historically with Bu/Cy/E alone, and there were no treatment related deaths.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, (90)Y-ibritumomab with Bu/Cy/E and ASCT is feasible in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell NHL, without increased toxicity.

A randomized trial of etoposide and G-CSF with or without rituximab for PBSC mobilization in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Some reports have suggested that rituximab administration before PBSC mobilization may adversely affect PBSC yield. We conducted a prospective randomized trial of PBSC mobilization using etoposide and G-CSF with or without rituximab to determine whether its addition would adversely affect CD34+ cell yield in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twenty seven patients were mobilized with etoposide and G-CSF and 28 with etoposide, G-CSF and rituximab. There were no adverse consequences of rituximab on CD34+ cell yield, or hematopoietic recovery or immunoglobulin levels after transplantation.

Long-term follow-up of busulfan, etoposide, and nimustine hydrochloride (ACNU) or melphalan as conditioning regimens for childhood acute leukemia and lymphoma

We retrospectively evaluated early and long-term complications of an intensified conditioning regimen consisting of busulfan and etoposide in combination with either nimustine hydrochloride (ACNU) (BVA regimen, n = 18) or melphalan (BVL regimen, n = 34) in 52 children with acute leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. With a median follow-up of 13.2 years after the BVA regimen and 8.1 years after the BVL regimen, 61% and 76% of patients, respectively, are in continuous complete remission. Transplantation-related mortality was 17% and 6% after the BVA and BVL regimens, respectively, and the corresponding relapse rates were 17% and 15%. The most common and severe toxicity was pulmonary complication in the BVA regimen, which was seen in 67% of patients and was life-threatening in 20%. Thirty-three percent of patients after the BVA regimen and 24% after BVL died of relapse or disease progression (n = 9), interstitial pneumonia (n = 2), fungal pneumonia (n = 1), or chronic graft-versus-host disease (n = 2). One of the long-term survivors developed secondary leukemia. A significant decrease in the height standard deviation score of more than 2 SD from diagnosis to the last follow-up was seen in 17% of the patients, with hypothyroidism in 15%, and alopecia in 42%. Because our experience is limited to a small heterogeneous population of patients who mainly underwent transplantation in the first remission, we cannot draw conclusions on the treatment's effectiveness. The BVL regimen is tolerable, however, because no regimen-related death was observed, whereas the BVA regimen is not recommended because of the high incidence of pulmonary complications. The effectiveness of the BVL regimen requires further study.

Multicenter study of intravenous busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (i.v. Bu/Cy/E) as conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a combination of intravenous busulfan, cyclophosphamide and etoposide (i.v. Bu/Cy/E) as a conditioning regimen prior to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Sixty-four patients with relapsed/refractory (n=36) or high-risk (n=28) lymphoma were enrolled. The high-dose chemotherapy consisted of i.v. Bu (0.8 mg kg(-1) i.v. q 6 h from day -7 to day -5), Cy (50 mg kg(-1) i.v. on day -3 and day -2) and E (400 mg m(-2) i.v. on day -5 and day -4). The median age was 43 (range 18-65) years, and 39 patients were male. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (40.6%) was the most common histological subtype. All evaluable patients achieved an engraftment of neutrophils (median, day 12) and platelets (median, day 13). Hepatic veno-occlusive disease was observed in four patients (three mild, one moderate grade), and two patients (3.1%) died from treatment-related complications. At a median follow-up of 16.4 months, 15 patients (23.4%) exhibited a relapse or progression, while 13 patients (20.3%) had died of disease. The estimated 3-year overall and progression-free survival for all patients was 72.1 and 70.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the conditioning regimen of i.v. Bu/Cy/E was well tolerated and seemed to be effective in patients with aggressive NHL.

Elevated lactate dehydrogenase is an adverse predictor of outcome in HLA-matched sibling bone marrow transplant for acute myelogenous leukemia

Prognostic factors for survival following allogeneic BMT for AML include age, disease status and cytogenetic risk classification. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels have not been studied as a potential risk factor. We reviewed our experience with BMT for AML and included LDH at the time of admission in an analysis of prognostic factors for survival. We found that LDH >330 U/l (1.5 times the upper limit of normal at our institution), older age, active disease, peripheral stem cell graft and male-to-male transplant were significant adverse predictors of survival. After accounting for LDH, other factors such as disease status and cytogenetics were not significantly associated with the outcome of BMT. All but one patient with an LDH >330 U/l had active disease. However, when patients in CR were excluded, LDH >330 U/l remained a significant adverse predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio 2.70, 95% confidence interval 1.41-5.16, P=0.003). We conclude that LDH is an important adverse risk factor for survival and should be included in future studies of risk performed on larger patient cohorts.

High-dose melphalan versus busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide as preparative regimens for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma

High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has improved response rates and survival for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We report a single-institution experience using two conditioning regimens, busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (BCV) or high-dose melphalan (HDM). Between July 1992 and August 2003, 110 patients with MM (median age=56.1) underwent HDC with ASCT using either BCV (n=62) or HDM (n=48) in sequential cohorts as the preparative regimen. Overall response rates, progression-free survival, and median overall survival were similar. BCV and HDM confer similar long-term outcomes with similar toxicity profiles as conditioning regimens prior to autologous stem cell transplant in patients with MM.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in peripheral T-cell lymphoma using a uniform high-dose regimen

The role of high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is poorly defined. Comparisons of outcomes between PTCL and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) have yielded conflicting results, in part due to the rarity and heterogeneity of PTCL. Some retrospective studies have found comparable survival rates for patients with T- and B-cell NHL. In this study, we report our single-center experience of ASCT over one decade using a uniform chemotherapy-only high-dose regimen. Thirty-two patients with PTCL-unspecified (PTCL-u; 11 patients) and anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (21 patients) underwent autologous stem cell transplant, mostly for relapsed or refractory disease. The preparative regimen consisted of busulfan, etoposide and cyclophosphamide. Kaplan-Meier 5-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) are 34 and 18%, respectively. These results suggest a poor outcome for patients with PTCL after ASCT, and new therapies for T-cell lymphoma are needed.

Long-term outcome of Hodgkin disease patients following high-dose busulfan, etoposide, cyclophosphamide, and autologous stem cell transplantation

Busulfan (Bu)-based preparative regimens have not been extensively investigated in Hodgkin disease (HD). The purposes of this study were to investigate the toxicity and efficacy of a novel preparative regimen of Bu 14 mg/kg, etoposide 50-60 mg/kg, and cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg in patients with primary refractory and relapsed HD. One hundred twenty-seven patients with a median age of 33 years (range, 14-67 years) underwent transplantation. The regimen was well tolerated, with 5.5% treatment-related mortality at 100 days after transplantation. With a median follow up of 6.7 years, the 5-year progression-free survival was 48 +/- 5%, and the 5-year overall survival was 51 +/- 5%. A Cox proportional hazards model identified refractory disease at time of transplantation as the only significant factor affecting relapse and overall survival, whereas disease bulk >10 cm affected overall survival. Five patients died between 5.3 and 9.3 years of late complications, including secondary myelodysplasia or acute myeloid leukemia, secondary solid malignancies, and pulmonary toxicity. This novel Bu regimen is comparable to other radiation-free preparative regimens in its effectiveness in the control of HD and with a low-risk of early treatment-related mortality.

High-dose busulfan and the risk of pulmonary mortality after autologous stem cell transplant

The non-relapse mortality of autologous stem cell transplant is low enough that the procedure has been extended to older patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We treated 537 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with high-dose chemotherapy consisting of busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide followed by autologous stem cell transplant. Sixteen patients were identified who died of pulmonary complications at a five-year incidence of 3.6%. Risk factors for pulmonary mortality included older age and lower baseline D(CO) and FEV1. We conclude that high-dose busulfan is associated with pulmonary mortality after autologous transplant, particularly in older patients.

Risk Factors Before Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation for Lymphoma Predict for Secondary Myelodysplasia and Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Purpose

The risk factors for treatment-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) after autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) are similar to those that increase the risk of difficult stem-cell harvests. We reviewed our experience in 526 patients with lymphoma treated by ASCT to determine whether difficult stem-cell harvests predict for an increased risk of t-MDS/AML.

Patients and Methods

Autologous peripheral stem cells were initially mobilized with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) alone (n = 334), etoposide and G-CSF (n = 166), or cyclophosphamide and G-CSF with or without etoposide (n = 26). Difficult harvests were those that required more than 5 days to collect enough stem cells and those that required additional attempts with etoposide and/or cyclophosphamide plus G-CSF (n = 52). All patients were then treated with high-dose chemotherapy alone and observed for outcome.

Results

With a median follow-up time for surviving patients of 69 months, 20 patients developed t-MDS/AML, for an actuarial incidence of 6.8% at 10 years. Pretransplantation characteristics, including age, diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or Hodgkin's disease, bone marrow involvement, prior radiation therapy, prior exposure to chemotherapy, lactate dehydrogenase at the time of ASCT, disease status, and method of stem-cell mobilization, were then analyzed with respect to the subsequent development of t-MDS/AML. By multivariable analysis, prior exposure to radiation therapy, four or more chemotherapy regimens, and more than 5 days of apheresis needed to harvest enough stem cells were identified as independent risk factors for t-MDS/AML. Bootstrap analysis confirmed these results.

Conclusion

These results suggest that identifiable pretransplantation factors predict for t-MDS/AML after ASCT.

Improved Outcomes in Intermediate- and High-Risk Aggressive Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Substituting Intravenous for Oral Busulfan in a Busulfan, Cyclophosphamide, and Etoposide Preparative Regimen

Forty-nine patients with intermediate- and high-risk aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autoHSCT) using the regimen of busulfan (Bu), cyclophosphamide (Cy), and etoposide (E) that was originally developed for allogeneic HSCT. Eighteen patients treated before 1999 received Cy 2.5 g/m2 on days -3 to -2 and E 1800 mg/m2 on day -3 after oral (PO) administration of Bu 1 mg/kg every 6 hours x 4 days for a total of 16 doses beginning on day -7. After April 1999, 31 patients similar in all pretransplantation risk assessments received the same regimen except that intravenous (IV) Bu was substituted for PO Bu and pharmacokinetic-directed (PKD) dosing was attempted to achieve an area under the concentration time curve of 1000-1500 micromol/min for each dose. Nonrelapse mortality was 28% for PO Bu patients versus 3% for the IV PKD group (P = .01, chi-square test). Actuarial 5-year overall survivals were 28% for patients who received the PO Bu regimen and 58% for patients who received the IV Bu regimen (P = .010, log-rank test), and progression-free survivals were 17% and 50%, respectively (P = .008, log-rank test). After substitution of PKD IV Bu in the BuCyE regimen, we observed lower nonrelapse mortality with increased overall and progression-free survivals in patients with intermediate- and high-risk aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma who underwent autoHSCT.

Early treatment-related mortality in adult autologous stem cell transplant recipients: a nation-wide survey of 1482 transplanted patients

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate early (<100 d) treatment-related mortality (TRM) in autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) recipients.

PATIENTS

Altogether 1482 adult patients received ASCT in six Finnish centres 1990-2003. The most common diagnoses were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) (n = 542), multiple myeloma (MM) (n = 528), breast cancer (BC) (n = 132), Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 86) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) (n = 63).

RESULTS

Forty-two patients (2.8%) died from treatment-related reasons <100 d from ASCT. The median time to death was 38 d from ASCT (0-99). The risk of TRM varied according to the diagnoses. The highest risk was observed in patients with AL amyloidosis (24%) followed by NHL (4.4%) and MM (1.9%). No early TRM was observed in patients transplanted for BC or CLL. Infections were the cause of death in 16 patients (fungal 7, bacterial 6, viral 3). Organ toxicity was responsible for early death in 26 patients (heart 9, lungs 7, other 10).

CONCLUSIONS

This nation-wide survey indicated a low early TRM in ASCT recipients in general, but higher risks in patients with AL amyloidosis or NHL. In addition to patient selection, also optimization of transplant procedure may be needed in these patient groups to reduce early TRM.

High-dose busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide does not improve outcome of allogeneic stem cell transplantation compared to BuCy2 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

SUMMARY

To reduce relapse following allogeneic transplantation for AML, intensification of high-dose busulfan/cyclophosphamide using additional agents has been investigated but with few reported comparisons. We compared an intensified regimen of etoposide (60 mg/kg), busulphan (14 mg/kg), and cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg) (BuCyVP) with BuCy2 in 237 AML patients. No significant difference in overall outcome was observed following BuCyVP (n=127) or BuCy2 (n=110). The 5-year survival was 27.3 and 30.1% following BuCyVP and BuCy2, respectively (P=0.48). Similarly, the 5-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was 28.3 and 34.8% with BuCyVP and BuCy2 (P=0.45), respectively. On multivariable analysis, patients transplanted in CR1 (P=0.002) and from related donors (P=0.013) had longer survival, while disease status at transplant was the only factor predicting CIR (P=0.002). In a separate analysis of CR1 patients (n=56), there was no significant difference in survival (P=0.37) or CIR (P=0.87) between the two regimens. However, for more advanced disease, there was a trend towards less relapse with BuCyVP (P=0.08), which was balanced by a higher cumulative incidence of transplant-related deaths (P=0.03) compared to BuCy2, resulting in similar survival. Overall, our results do not support the use of the more intensive BuCyVP regimen over BuCy2 in either early or more advanced disease AML patients.

Failure of anti-infective mouth rinses and concomitant antibiotic prophylaxis to decrease oral mucosal colonization in autologous stem cell transplantation

Autologous stem cell transplantation has augmented treatment successes. However, high-dose chemotherapy is still accompanied by dose-limiting toxicities, for example, severe mucositis. Mucosal lesions serve as portals of entry for infections. In order to reduce the oral microbial burden, we prospectively evaluated the microbiological impact of a complex regimen of mouth rinses consisting of concomitantly applied polyene antifungals, povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine, sage tea, and prophylactic ciprofloxacin and fluconazole. A total of 15 patients were enrolled into this longitudinal evaluation. Colony-forming units (CFU) were quantitated from saliva, buccal and palatinal swabs during high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. The number of CFU did not show any significant changes after initiation of the mouth rinses and the prophylactic antibiotics. The median CFU count was 268 x 10(6)/ml saliva before chemotherapy and decreased after initiation of intravenous antibiotics only. Neither prophylactic nor therapeutic antifungals significantly reduced the number of cultures positive for yeasts. Since 90% of our patients had febrile neutropenia at some time point during the observation period, the approach evaluated cannot be recommended as prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia as such.

High-dose carmustine, etoposide, and cisplatin for autologous stem cell transplantation with or without involved-field radiation for relapsed/refractory lymphoma: An effective regimen with low morbidity and mortality

Over a 10-year period (January 1993 to October 2002), 101 relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients were treated at our center with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous transplantation. The median patient age was 54 years (range, 25-70 years). Thirty-two patients had indolent (low-grade), 42 had aggressive (intermediate-grade), and 27 had very aggressive (high-grade) non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Thirty-six patients had primary refractory disease, 20 had a chemoresistant relapse, 35 patients had a chemosensitive relapse, and 10 patients were "initial high risk" patients. The median number of prior chemotherapy regimens was 2 (range, 1-5). The preparative regimen (BEP) was bischloroethylnitrosourea (BCNU) 600 mg/m 2 , etoposide 2400 mg/m 2 , and Platinol (cisplatin) 200 mg/m 2 given intravenously over 5 days. Within 3 weeks before transplantation, 70 patients received involved-field radiotherapy (IFR) 20 Gy to sites of currently active (>2 cm) or prior bulky (>5 cm) disease. Most patients (n = 93) received mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (median CD34 + cell dose, 6.7 x 10 6 /kg). Median neutrophil (>500/microL) and platelet (>20 000/microL, untransfused) recoveries were 11 days (range, 7-19 days) and 14 days (range, 7-36 days), respectively. At a median follow-up of 41 months (range, 4 to 118 months) for survivors, Kaplan-Meier 5-year probabilities of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 58.6% and 51.1%, respectively. Four patients (4%) died within 30 days of stem cell infusion (1 pulmonary embolism, 2 septicemias with multiorgan failure, and 1 progressive lymphoma). Two patients (2%) developed interstitial pneumonitis most likely secondary to high-dose BCNU. Three cases (3%) of secondary acute myelogenous leukemia occurred. On multivariate analysis, age (<60 or > or =60 years), histologic grade (low versus intermediate or high), the use of IFR, and chemotherapy response at baseline did not affect OS or DFS. Of 70 patients given IFR, 27 relapsed: 10 (37%) within and 17 (63%) outside the radiation field. The use of IFR did not affect either OS or DFS, probably because IFR was offered to patients with bulky or chemoresistant disease. BEP with or without IFR is a highly effective and well-tolerated regimen in the relapsed/refractory lymphoma setting. It has low morbidity and transplant-related mortality and a low incidence (3%) of posttransplantation malignancy.

Randomized trial of busulfan vs total body irradiation containing conditioning regimens for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium study

Conditioning regimens for children with ALL have generally included total body irradiation (TBI), which may result in significant sequelae. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome for children with ALL undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) with either busulfan (Bu) or TBI regimens. Patients <21 years with ALL undergoing allogeneic SCT were eligible. Conditioning included either Bu or TBI, with etoposide 40 mg/kg and cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg. Randomization was stratified based upon duration of remission, remission status, and prior cranial irradiation. A total of 43 patients were enrolled; 21 received Bu and 22 TBI. Median patient age was 8 years (0.5-20 years). Remission status included 12 patients in CR1, 25 in CR2, and six in CR3. At a median follow-up of 43 months, event-free survival (EFS) is 45% at 3 years, with 29% EFS in the Bu arm and 58% in the TBI arm (P=0.03). There was no significant difference between Bu and TBI for patients who received stem cells from related donors (36 vs 58%, P=0.3). However, for URD, EFS was 20% for Bu and 57% for TBI (P=0.04). Relapses were similar in both arms. This randomized prospective study suggests that Bu is inferior to TBI for pediatric patients with ALL undergoing allogeneic SCT.

Radiation-free regimens result in similar outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation in patients aged >or=50 years compared to younger adults with low-risk disease

Age >or=50 years has been reported to be an adverse risk factor for allogeneic BMT, and consequently many of these patients are either not transplanted or treated on nonmyeloablative protocols. To study if older patients perform poorly relative to younger adults following myeloablative allogeneic transplants, we compared the outcomes of consecutive adults aged >or=50 years (n=51) to those <50 years (n=262) who received BU, CY+/-etoposide and allogeneic transplantation for AML, CML, MDS and NHL from 1984 to 2000. Median ages were 53 (range 50-66) and 35 (range 18-49) years for older and younger patients, respectively. Patients were low-risk if they had AML in CR1, CML in first chronic phase, refractory anemia, or NHL in remission or sensitive relapse at the time of transplantation. All others were high-risk. In patients with low-risk disease, there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between older and younger adults (P=0.64), while older patients tended to have a shorter OS among high-risk patients (P=0.06). The 3-year OS was 53% (95% CI, 29-77%) compared to 60% (95% CI, 50-69%) for older and younger patients with low-risk disease, respectively. The corresponding 3-year OS were 27% (95% CI, 11-43%) and 37% (95% CI, 25-45%) for high-risk patients. In low-risk patients, the incidence of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, and treatment-related mortality were similar in older and younger patients, while older patients experienced more treatment-related deaths by day 100. On multivariable analysis, age >or=50 years was a significant adverse factor only when high-risk patients were considered. We conclude that when radiation-free conditioning is used, age >or=50 years is not a significant adverse risk factor for allogeneic BMT in patients with low-risk disease, and that such patients should not be excluded from conventional myeloablative approaches until the efficacy of nonmyeloablative transplantation is better established.

A multivariable analysis of factors influencing mucositis after autologous progenitor cell transplantation

Mucositis is a common and vexing complication of autologous progenitor cell transplantation (ABMT). A modified oral mucositis assessment scale (OMAS) has been found to be a reproducible and effective tool for monitoring mucositis after radiation therapy or chemotherapy. We utilized the modified OMAS scale to study clinical parameters associated with the development of mucositis in 79 patients undergoing ABMT. Median patient age was 52; 61% had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), 23% multiple myeloma and 14% Hodgkin's disease. Patients were mobilized with G-CSF alone or the combination of etoposide plus G-CSF. Univariable correlates of worse mucositis were prior radiation therapy (P = 0.004), a diagnosis of NHL (P = 0.014), progenitor cell mobilizing regimen containing etoposide (P = 0.001), and ABMT preparative regimen containing etoposide (P = 0.006). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that NHL diagnosis (P = 0.007), prior radiation therapy (P = 0.001), and etoposide in the mobilizing regimen (P = 0.034) were associated with worse post-transplant mucositis. Worsening mucositis correlated with a longer inpatient length of stay. We conclude that several variables contribute to worsening mucositis during autologous transplantation, including etoposide in the progenitor cell mobilizing regimen.

Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: 100 month follow-up

One hundred and ten adult patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) received an autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (ABMT) from 1988 to 1993. All received a uniform preparative regimen of cyclophosphamide, BCNU and etoposide (CBV). Twenty-one percent had low grade histologies, 54% intermediate grade, and 25% high grade. Median follow-up of 48 survivors is 100 months. Kaplan-Meier 10 year overall survival and relapse-free survival for the entire group is 42% and 32%, respectively. Fifty patients were in complete remission 2 years post transplant. With additional follow-up, patients with high grade malignancies are cured, while patients with intermediate or low grade histologies were at continued risk of relapse up to 5 years post transplant. Of 39 patients in complete remission 5 years post transplant, none have relapsed with additional extended follow-up. We conclude that patients with NHL treated with ABMT, if in CR 5 years post transplant, are at very low risk of relapse with extended follow-up, suggesting the possibility of cure for all histologies, including those with low grade NHL.

Autotransplantation for advanced lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease followed by post-transplant rituxan/GM-CSF or radiotherapy and consolidation chemotherapy

Disease relapse occurs in 50% or more of patients who are autografted for relapsed or refractory lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin's disease (HD). The administration of non-cross-resistant therapies during the post-transplant phase could possibly control residual disease and delay or prevent its progression. To test this approach, 55 patients with relapsed/refractory or high-risk NHL or relapsed/refractory HD were enrolled in the following protocol: stem cell mobilization: cyclophosphamide (4.5 g/m(2)) + etoposide (2.0 g/m(2)) followed by GM-CSF or G-CSF; high-dose therapy: gemcitabine (1.0 g/m(2)) on day -5, BCNU (300 mg/m(2)) + gemcitabine (1.0 g/m(2)) on day -2, melphalan (140 mg/m(2)) on day -1, blood stem cell infusion on day 0; post-transplant immunotherapy (B cell NHL): rituxan (375 mg/m(2)) weekly for 4 weeks + GM-CSF (250 microg thrice weekly) (weeks 4-8); post-transplant involved-field radiotherapy (HD): 30-40 Gy to pre-transplant areas of disease (weeks 4-8); post-transplant consolidation chemotherapy (all patients): dexamethasone (40 mg daily)/cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m(2)/day)/etoposide (30 mg/m(2)/day)/cisplatin (15 mg/m(2)/day) by continuous intravenous infusion for 4 days + gemcitabine (1.0 g/m(2), day 3) (months 3 + 9) alternating with dexamethasone/paclitaxel (135 mg/m(2))/cisplatin (75 mg/m(2)) (months 6 + 12). Of the 33 patients with B cell lymphoma, 14 had primary refractory disease (42%), 12 had relapsed disease (36%) and seven had high-risk disease in first CR (21%). For the entire group, the 2-year Kaplan-Meier event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 30% and 35%, respectively, while six of 33 patients (18%) died before day 100 from transplant-related complications. The rituxan/GM-CSF phase was well-tolerated by the 26 patients who were treated and led to radiographic responses in seven patients; an eighth patient with a blastic variant of mantle-cell lymphoma had clearance of marrow involvement after rituxan/GM-CSF. Of the 22 patients with relapsed/refractory HD (21 patients) or high-risk T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (one patient), the 2-year Kaplan-Meier EFS and OS were 70% and 85%, respectively, while two of 22 patients (9%) died before day 100 from transplant-related complications. Eight patients received involved field radiation and seven had radiographic responses within the treatment fields. A total of 72 courses of post-transplant consolidation chemotherapy were administered to 26 of the 55 total patients. Transient grade 3-4 myelosuppression was common and one patient died from neutropenic sepsis, but no patients required an infusion of backup stem cells. After adjustment for known prognostic factors, the EFS for the cohort of HD patients was significantly better than the EFS for an historical cohort of HD patients autografted after BEAC (BCNU/etoposide/cytarabine/cyclophosphamide) without consolidation chemotherapy (P = 0.015). In conclusion, post-transplant consolidation therapy is feasible and well-tolerated for patients autografted for aggressive NHL and HD and may be associated with improved progression-free survival particularly for patients with HD.