title: Rapid achievement of complete donor chimerism and low regimen-related toxicity after reduced conditioning with fludarabine, carmustine, melphalan and allogeneic transplantation.
abstract: Between August 1998 and July 1999, 21 patients received a novel protocol of reduced conditioning with fludarabine, carmustine and melphalan (FBM) followed by matched-related allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) in a prospective multi-center phase I/II study. Cyclosporin A and 'mini-methotrexate' were used for GVHD prophylaxis. Patients were included because of age, advanced disease, previous transplantation or co-morbidity. Hematopoietic engraftment after allogeneic transplantation was rapid with a median white blood count (WBC) >1 x 10(9)/l on day +11 (range 10-17) and a median platelet count >20 x 10(9)/l on day +13 (range 9-36). Donor chimerism was complete in 16/21 (76%) patients at all time points during follow-up and mixed at least on one occasion in 5/21 (24%) patients. The conditioning regimen was well tolerated with low toxicity even in previously transplanted patients. Thirteen patients (62%) developed acute GVHD grades II-IV. Nineteen out of 21 patients achieved complete (CR, n = 15) or partial remission (PR, n = 4) with a median patient follow-up of 354+ days (range 258-577) for patients alive. The reduced intensity protocol FBM is feasible with rapid engraftment, early achievement of complete donor chimerism, low toxicity, especially in heavily pretreated patients, and good response rates in advanced disease patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Albert-Ludwigs University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wäsch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reisser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bertz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kunzmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Veelken
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002330:Carmustine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007937:Leukapheresis; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018183:Transplantation Chimera; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods*; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D014740:Vidarabine; D008558:Melphalan; D002330:Carmustine; D008727:Methotrexate