title: Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation using a fludarabine-based low intensity conditioning regimen for malignant lymphoma.
abstract: Relapse is a serious complication following high-dose therapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) for malignant lymphoma (ML). Allogeneic transplantation (alloSCT) is a therapeutic option. However, it is associated with a high incidence of transplant-related organ toxicity and mortality. We recently reported fast engraftment and minimal transplant-related toxicity, using fludarabine-based conditioning with reduced amounts of chemotoxic drugs prior to alloSCT. We now present our experience with 23 heavily treated high risk ML patients who underwent matched alloSCT following the same low intensity conditioning. The patients (20 male, three female) were aged 13-63 years. Nineteen had NHL and four HD (resistant disease 12, partial remission 11). Five were post ABMT. Twenty-two patients had fully matched sibling donors, and one a fully matched unrelated donor. Engraftment was fast. There was no rejection or non-engraftment. Organ toxicity was moderate with no liver or renal toxicity >grade II. Four patients developed >grade II graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Seven patients died - four of grade III-IV GVHD and severe infections, two of bacterial sepsis, one of pulmonary failure. Ten patients are alive after 22.5 (15-37) months. Survival and disease-free survival at 37 months are both 40%. Probability of relapse is 26%. These encouraging results suggest that alloSCT following fludarabine-based low intensity conditioning in high-risk patients merits further evaluation. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000).
authors.affiliation: Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunobiology Research Center, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Slavin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varadi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Naparstek
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Or
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002066:Busulfan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D015993:Life Tables; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D014740:Vidarabine; D002066:Busulfan; C024352:fludarabine