High dose cytarabine or transplantation for consolidation of younger patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Is there a role for autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia? A retrospective analysis

For patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) who are unable to secure an acceptable HLA donor, the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) has remained controversial. Its effectiveness remains unclear as, when analyzed on intention-to-treat strategies, a significant number do not undergo the procedure, whereas others seem to fail therapy from pretransplant recurrences. To improve our counseling to our patients on these 2 therapeutic options, we compared the outcome of patients in first remission of AML who actually underwent autologous or allogeneic transplantation. The choice for the type of graft was based on availability of HLA identical siblings. Patients received myeloablative conditioning followed by allogeneic or autologous cytokine mobilized peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. For prophylaxis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), grafts were incubated ex vivo with anti-CD52 antibodies and patients were prescribed cyclosporin until day 90. Patients were stratified by clinical and laboratory factors as well as cytogenetic risk. The endpoints were treatment-related mortality (TRM), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). The median presentation age for both transplant groups was 35 (14-60) years. Of the 112 consecutive patients achieving remission, autologous or allogeneic grafts were transplanted to 43 and 32 patients, respectively. There was no significant difference in the presentation clinical features, laboratory parameters, marrow morphology, or proportion of low and intermediate cytogenetic risk for both transplant options. Treatment mortality as well as relapse rate was similar (14% and 15%; 39% and 27%, respectively). At a median of 1609 and 1819 posttransplant days, 56% and 63% in each group survived. In univariate analysis performance status, cytogenetic risk, morphologic features of dysplasia, blast count, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significant factors for survival. Although for the entire group there was no difference in survival between both modalities, all patients with unfavorable cytogenetics receiving an autologous graft died of disease recurrence (3-year survival 35% versus 0%; P = .05). We conclude that patients with AML who have low or intermediate cytogenetic risk undergoing myeloablative conditioning followed by autologous or allogeneic T cell-depleted stem cell transplantation appeared to have similar outcome. However, those with unfavorable karyotype are unlikely to be cured with autologous grafts and are candidates for experimental modalities.

A Long-term Follow-up Analysis in Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Aims and Background

Over the last 17 years, 119 adult acute myeloid leukemia patients have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our Center.

Study Design

Seventy patients in first complete remission received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (28 allogeneic and 42 autologous HSCT) as late intensification after conventional chemotherapy; 38 patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a more advanced phase. A reference group was built up by collecting 40 acute myeloid leukemia patients who received high-dose cytosine arabinoside as late intensification and whose complete remission lasted more than 10 months.

Results

Results of the study led to conclude that an earlier timing of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can be recommended in order to treat patients who would otherwise suffer an early relapse.

Conclusions

The outcome of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients not in first complete remission supports the possibility of achieving good quality second complete remissions and suggests that autografting may be a life-saving strategy in selected acute myeloid leukemia patients with advanced disease.

Adult acute myeloid leukaemia

The curability of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in a fraction of adult patients was demonstrated a long time ago. Currently, the probability of cure is consistently above fifty per cent in patients with de novo disease expressing favourable-risk associated cytogenetic features. Even better, the cure rate exceeds 75% in the acute promyelocytic subtype since the introduction of retinoic acid-containing regimens. In the meantime, continuing progress in supportive care systems and stem cell transplant procedures is making myeloablative therapies, when needed, somewhat less toxic-and thereby more effective-than in the recent past. Therefore, evidence is accumulating to indicate an improved therapeutic trend over the years, with the notable exception of older (>55 years) patients with adverse-risk chromosomal aberrations and/or leukemia secondary to myelodysplasia or prior cancer-related chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. This review conveys the many facets of this progress, focusing on diagnostic subsets, risk classes, newer biological issues and conventional as well as innovative therapeutic interventions with or without autologous/allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

New approaches to hematopoietic cell transplantation in oncology

The use of high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous HCT and the use of allogeneic HCT in children and adolescents with high-risk ALL, AML, and NBL has successfully improved outcomes. For other diseases, however, the role of HCT in treatment remains a subject of further research. The availability of HCT was significantly expanded by developing alternative graft sources that currently include BM, peripheral blood, and UCB from autologous and allogeneic related or unrelated donors. Progress in autologous HCT has been achieved by the identification of more effective and less toxic preparative regimens and by ex vivo purging of stem cell products. In allogeneic HCT, graft-versus-leukemia or graft-versus-tumor effects are being exploited increasingly to lower relapse rates. In addition, immunomodulation to promote tolerance, as well as allogeneic antitumor reactions have been achieved by antibody therapy, cytokine therapy, or cell-based immunotherapy. Future improvements are likely, as evidenced by promising preliminary results in the development of stem cell collection techniques, in vitro stem cell expansion, and purging techniques of stem cell grafts. The development of less intensive or nonmyeloablative preparative regimens may further reduce regimen-related morbidity and mortality Specific immunotherapy may facilitate tolerance induction in mismatched allogeneic HCT and support allogeneic HCT in the setting of donor-host HLA disparity. Ultimately, advances in cytokine therapy, tumor-specific vaccines, and gene therapy may decrease or even eradicate recurrence of the malignant disease after HCT.

High-dose cytarabine as consolidation treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21)

Seventeen patients affected by acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21) were prospectively programmed to receive three courses of high-dose cytarabine (HDARA-C) as post-remission therapy. The median age was 39 years and in all cases t(8;21) was the only karyotypic abnormality. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 14 out of 17 cases (82%) and, after first consolidation with NOVIA regimen (intermediate dose ARA-C plus mitoxantrone), all patients received the three planned courses of HDARA-C (3g/m(2) q12h on days 1, 3, 5). There were two documented infections, while all patients experienced fever of unknown origin (FUO). Nonhematological toxicity was mild. Thirteen out of 14 patients are in continuous CR after a median follow-up of 44 months. One patient relapsed at 16 months and, following CR2 achievement, underwent allogeneic transplantation; he died 3 months later while in CR from acute graft versus host disease (GVHD). Survival at 5 years is projected at 79%. Our data confirm the efficacy of repeated courses of HDARAC for patients with t(8;21) AML.

Recent publications in hematological oncology

In order to keep subscribers up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, John Wiley & Sons are providing a current awareness service in each issue of the journal. The bibliography contains newly published material in the field of hematological oncology. Each bibliography is divided into 14 sections: 1 Books, Reviews & Symposia; 2 General; Leukemias: 3 Lymphoblastic; 4 Myeloid & Myelodysplastic Syndromes; 5 Chronic; 6 Others; Lymphomas: 7 Hodgkin's; 8 Non-Hodgkin's; 9 Plasmacytomas/Multiple Myelomas; 10 Others; 11 Bone Marrow Transplantation; 12 Cytokines; 13 Diagnosis; 14 Cytogenetics. Within each section, articles are listed in alphabetical order with respect to author. If, in the preceding period, no publications are located relevant to any one of these headings, that section will be omitted.