Allogeneic stem cell transplantation after a fludarabine/busulfan-based reduced-intensity conditioning in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or secondary acute myeloid leukemia.
We report the feasibility and efficacy of a fludarabine/busulfan-based dose-reduced conditioning regimen followed by stem cell transplantation from related ( n=19) or unrelated HLA-matched donors ( n=18) in 37 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) who were not eligible for a standard myeloablative conditioning regimen. The conditioning regimen consisted of fludarabine (120-180 mg/m(2)), busulfan (8 mg/kg p.o. or 6.4 mg/kg i.v.), and antithymocyte globulin ( n=25). Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine ( n=36) and a short course of methotrexate ( n=29) or mycophenolate mofetil ( n=3). The median age of the patients was 55 years (range: 23-72). The reasons to perform a dose-reduced conditioning were reduced performance status ( n=14), age ( n=12), prior autologous ( n=5) or allogeneic ( n=1) transplantation, or prior/active fungal infection ( n=5). Diagnoses at transplantation were refractory anemia (RA) ( n=8), refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) ( n=6), RAEB in transformation (RAEB-T) ( n=13), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) ( n=3), and sAML ( n=7). Stem cell sources were peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) ( n=29) or bone marrow ( n=8). One patient received a T-cell-depleted peripheral stem cell graft. Two primary graft failures were observed (6%). Engraftment of leukocytes (>1.0x10(9)/l) and platelets (>20x10(9)/l) was seen after a median of 14 days. Acute GVHD grade II-IV was seen in 37%, while severe grade III/IV GVHD was observed in six patients (17%). Chronic GVHD was seen in 13 patients (48%). There were ten deaths (27%) due to treatment (TRM). The probability of TRM was higher in patients with unrelated donors (45 vs 12%, p=0.03) and in patients with poor cytogenetics in comparison to those with a low or intermediate karyotype (75 vs 20%, p=0.009). During follow-up 12 patients relapsed (32%). Patients without chronic GVHD had a significantly higher probability of relapse compared to those with chronic GVHD (70 vs 15%, p=0.02). After a median follow-up of 20 months, the 3-year estimated disease-free survival (DFS) is 38% [95% confidence interval (CI): 21-55%] and the overall survival (OS) is 39% (95% CI: 22-56%). The OS and DFS after related and unrelated transplantations was 45% (95% CI: 19-71%) vs 31% (95% CI: 9-53%) (n.s.) and 51% (95% CI: 29-73%) vs 25% (95% CI: 4-47%) (n.s.), respectively. We conclude that dose-reduced conditioning followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation from related or unrelated donors is an effective treatment approach in patients with MDS/sAML and might cure a substantial number of patients who are not eligible for a standard allogeneic transplantation.
Bone Marrow Transplantation, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. nkroeger@uke.uni-hamburg.de
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N
Kröger
M
M
Bornhäuser
G
G
Ehninger
R
R
Schwerdtfeger
H
H
Biersack
H G
HG
Sayer
H
H
Wandt
K
K
Schäfer-Eckardt
J
J
Beyer
M
M
Kiehl
A R
AR
Zander
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002066:Busulfan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D014740:Vidarabine; D002066:Busulfan; C024352:fludarabine