title: Induction with oral chemotherapy (CID) followed by early autologous stem cell transplantation for de novo multiple myeloma patients.
abstract: In an effort to minimise induction therapy-related toxicity, avoid unnecessary hospitalisation and facilitate early ASCT, we have prospectively evaluated an outpatient-based oral chemotherapeutic regimen, cyclophosphamide, idarubicin, dexamethasone (CID) in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma (mm). Patients subsequently underwent ASCT conditioned with melphalan 200 g/m(2). A total of 36 newly diagnosed MM patients were enrolled between February 1997 and March 2000. In all 136 cycles of CID were administered requiring only four unplanned hospital admissions. Grade 3 or 4 haematological toxicities were documented following 14 cycles (10%). There were no treatment-related deaths. Response rates (PR + CR) based on an intention-to-treat basis were 66% (23 of 35, 9% CR) post-CID and 80% (28 of 35, 34% CR) post-ASCT. In all, 28 of the 35 patients remain alive with a median follow-up for surviving patients of 40 months (range, 30-67 months). Progression-free survival from the time of diagnosis was 32 months (range, 3-55+ months). Median overall survival from diagnosis has not been reached with an estimated overall survival at 4 years of 77%. CID in combination with early ASCT is an effective and well-tolerated antimyelomatous regimen and is a practical alternative to more toxic and invasive therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. aspencer@netspace.net.au
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seldon
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deveridge
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cobcroft
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cull
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marlton
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Enno
authors.forename: Devinder
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous