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Treosulfan or busulfan plus fludarabine as conditioning treatment before allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation for older patients with acute myeloid leukaemia or myelodysplastic syndrome (MC-FludT.14/L): a randomised, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial
Beelen, D. W., Trenschel, R., Stelljes, M., Groth, C., Masszi, T., Remenyi, P., Wagner-Drouet, E. M., Hauptrock, B., Dreger, P., Luft, T., et al
The Lancet. Haematology. 2019
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Editor's Choice
Abstract
BACKGROUND Further improvement of preparative regimens before allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an unmet medical need for the growing number of older or comorbid patients with acute myeloid leukaemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of conditioning with treosulfan plus fludarabine compared with reduced-intensity busulfan plus fludarabine in this population. METHODS We did an open-label, randomised, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial in 31 transplantation centres in France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Poland. Eligible patients were 18-70 years, had acute myeloid leukaemia in first or consecutive complete haematological remission (blast counts <5% in bone marrow) or myelodysplastic syndrome (blast counts <20% in bone marrow), Karnofsky index of 60% or higher, and were indicated for allogeneic HSCT but considered at an increased risk for standard myeloablative preparative regimens based on age (≥50 years), an HSCT-specific comorbidity index of more than 2, or both. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either intravenous 10 g/m(2) treosulfan daily applied as a 2-h infusion for 3 days (days -4 to -2) or 0.8 mg/kg busulfan applied as a 2-h infusion at 6-h intervals on days -4 and -3. Both groups received 30 mg/m(2) intravenous fludarabine daily for 5 days (days -6 to -2). The primary outcome was event-free survival 2 years after HSCT. The non-inferiority margin was a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.3. Efficacy was assessed in all patients who received treatment and completed transplantation, and safety in all patients who received treatment. The study is registered with EudraCT (2008-002356-18) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00822393). FINDINGS Between June 13, 2013, and May 3, 2016, 476 patients were enrolled (240 in the busulfan group received treatment and transplantation, and in the treosulfan group 221 received treatment and 220 transplanation). At the second preplanned interim analysis (Nov 9, 2016), the primary endpoint was met and trial was stopped. Here we present the final confirmatory analysis (data cutoff May 31, 2017). Median follow-up was 15.4 months (IQR 8.8-23.6) for patients treated with treosulfan and 17.4 months (6.3-23.4) for those treated with busulfan. 2-year event-free survival was 64.0% (95% CI 56.0-70.9) in the treosulfan group and 50.4% (42.8-57.5) in the busulfan group (HR 0.65 [95% CI 0.47-0.90]; p<0.0001 for non-inferiority, p=0.0051 for superiority). The most frequently reported grade 3 or higher adverse events were abnormal blood chemistry results (33 [15%] of 221 patients in the treosulfan group vs 35 [15%] of 240 patients in the busulfan group) and gastrointestinal disorders (24 [11%] patients vs 39 [16%] patients). Serious adverse events were reported for 18 (8%) patients in the treosulfan group and 17 (7%) patients in the busulfan group. Causes of deaths were generally transplantation-related. INTERPRETATION Treosulfan was non-inferior to busulfan when used in combination with fludarabine as a conditioning regimen for allogeneic HSCT for older or comorbid patients with acute myeloid leukaemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. The improved outcomes in patients treated with the treosulfan-fludarabine regimen suggest its potential to become a standard preparative regimen in this population. FUNDING medac GmbH.
PICO Summary
Population
Patients with acute myeloid leukaemia in first or consecutive complete haematological remission or myelodysplastic syndrome considered at an increased risk for standard myeloablative preparative regimens based on age (>/=50 years), an HSCT-specific comorbidity index of more than 2, or both. (n=460)
Intervention
Intravenous 10 g/m(2) treosulfan daily for 3 days followed by intravenous fludarabine daily for 5 days (n=221)
Comparison
0.8 mg/kg busulfan at 6-h intervals on days -4 and -3, followed by 30 mg/m(2) intravenous fludarabine daily for 5 days (n=240)
Outcome
Median follow-up was 15.4 months for patients treated with treosulfan and 17.4 months for those treated with busulfan. 2-year event-free survival was 64.0% in the treosulfan group and 50.4% in the busulfan group. The most frequently reported grade 3 or higher adverse events were abnormal blood chemistry results (15% patients in the treosulfan group vs 15% in the busulfan group) and gastrointestinal disorders (11% patients vs 16% patients). Serious adverse events were reported for 8% of patients in the treosulfan group and 7% of patients in the busulfan group. Causes of deaths were generally transplantation-related.
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Anti-thymocyte globulin improves survival free from relapse and graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with Philadelphia-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia: An analysis by the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the EBMT
Czerw, T., Labopin, M., Giebel, S., Socie, G., Volin, L., Fegueux, N., Masszi, T., Blaise, D., Chaganti, S., Cornelissen, J. J., et al
Cancer. 2018
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Editor's Choice
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mobilized peripheral blood stem cells are currently the predominant source of grafts for allogeneic transplantation (allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation [allo-PBSCT]), although, in comparison with bone marrow, their use is associated with an increased risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Attempts to reduce the incidence of cGVHD include the addition of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) to the pretransplant conditioning regimen. METHODS The goal of this retrospective study was to analyze the effect of ATG on allo-PBSCT outcomes for adults with Philadelphia-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-neg ALL). The primary endpoint was survival free from relapse, grade 3 to 4 acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), and cGVHD (ie, graft-versus-host disease-free/relapse-free survival [GRFS]). Nine-hundred twenty-four patients who underwent unmanipulated allo-PBSCT in their first complete remission between 2007 and 2016 were included. ATG was used in 97 of the 494 transplants from matched sibling donors (20%) and in 307 of the 430 transplants from human leukocyte antigen-matched (8 of 8 loci) unrelated donors (71%). RESULTS The use of ATG was an independent factor for an improved chance of GRFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70; P = .0009). Furthermore, it was associated with a reduced risk of both grade 2 to 4 (HR, 0.66; P = .005) and grade 3 to 4 aGVHD (HR, 0.58; P = .03). Similarly, its addition reduced the incidence of both total (HR, 0.45; P < 10(-5) ) and extensive cGVHD (HR, 0.30; P < 10(-5) ) as well as nonrelapse mortality (HR, 0.58; P = .01). No significant effect was found with respect to leukemia-free or overall survival. However, an increased risk of relapse was noted for those who received ATG (HR, 1.40; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS Patients with Ph-neg ALL treated with allo-PBSCT benefit from the use of ATG in terms of improved GRFS. Its use may, therefore, be considered in this setting. Cancer 2018. (c) 2018 American Cancer Society.