Reduced intensity conditioning allows for up-front allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after cytoreductive induction therapy in newly-diagnosed high-risk acute myeloid leukemia.
There is substantial need to improve the outcome of patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The clinical trial reported here investigated a new approach of up-front allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), provided a median of 40 days (range 22-74) after diagnosis, in twenty-six consecutive patients with newly-diagnosed high-risk AML characterized by poor-risk cytogenetics (n = 19) or inadequate blast clearance by induction chemotherapy (IC, n = 7). The median age was 49 years (range 17-68). During IC-induced aplasia after the 1st (n = 11) or 2nd (n = 15) cycle, patients received allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) from related (n = 11) or unrelated (n = 15) donors following a fludarabine-based reduced-intensity regimen. Seventeen patients were not in remission before HSCT with a median marrow blast count of 34% (range 6-70). All patients achieved rapid engraftment and went into remission with complete myeloid and lymphatic chimerism. Grades II to IV acute GvHD occurred in 14 (56%) and extensive chronic GvHD was documented in 8 (35%) patients. The probability of disease-free survival was 61% with only three patients relapsing 5, 6 and 7 months after transplantation, respectively. Up-front allogeneic HSCT as part of primary induction therapy seems to be an effective strategy in high-risk AML patients and warrants further investigation.
Platzbecker
U
U
Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany. Uwe.Platzbecker@uniklinikum-dresden.de
Thiede
C
C
Füssel
M
M
Geissler
G
G
Illmer
T
T
Mohr
B
B
Hänel
M
M
Mahlberg
R
R
Krümpelmann
U
U
Weissinger
F
F
Schaich
M
M
Theuser
C
C
Ehninger
G
G
Bornhäuser
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D046528:Chimerism; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome