We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Autologous stem cell transplantation for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukaemia conditioned with continuous infusion idarubicin and busulphan.
- Authors
Ferrara, Felicetto; Palmieri, Salvatore; Pedata, Mariangela; Viola, Assunta; Izzo, Tiziana; Criscuolo, Clelia; Mele, Giuseppina
- Abstract
Different studies have suggested the potential utility of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) of the elderly with encouraging results in selected patients. However, while the introduction of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) has consistently reduced morbidity and mortality of the procedure, relapse still represents the major cause of ASCT failure. One possibility to ameliorate therapeutic results could rely on the adoption of conditioning regimens specifically designed for AML. We report therapeutic results from a series of 40 AML patients older than 60 years (median age 67 years) autografted in first complete remission (CR), after conditioning with continuous infusion (c.i.) high dose idarubicin and busulphan. Fourty patients (median age: 67 years) received 2 days c.i. idarubicin at 20 mg/m2/day, followed by 3 days oral or intravenous busulphan (4 mg/kg/day) as conditioning. No case of transplant-related mortality occurred. Cardiac toxicity was absent, while 31 patients (77%) had grade 3-4 mucositis. After a median follow-up of 25 months, median disease free and overall survival (OS) for the whole patient population were 13 and 22 months, respectively. Three patients died while in CR from causes unrelated to AML. Better results were achieved in patients with intermediate karyotype as opposed to those with adverse cytogenetics. Our data confirm the feasibility of a conditioning regimen based on high-dose idarubicin plus busulphan in older selected AML patients and suggest clinical improvement in patients with normal cytogenetics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
- Publication
Hematological Oncology, 2009, Vol 27, Issue 1, p40
- ISSN
0278-0232
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/hon.893