Aileen Go

Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting Associated with Stem Cell Transplant: Results of a Prospective, Randomized Trial of Aprepitant Used with Highly Emetogenic Preparative Regimens

Uncontrolled delayed nausea and vomiting remains a problem after high-dose preparative regimens used for autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Recently, aprepitant was approved for highly and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, and, in particular, is effective for decreasing delayed emesis. To evaluate its safety and efficacy in the transplantation setting, we performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of aprepitant in combination with ondansetron and dexamethasone in patients treated with ablative preparative regimens. Patients were randomized to receive oral aprepitant or placebo daily with oral ondansetron and dexamethasone during and for 3 days after the completion of the preparative regimen in this prospective randomized, double-blind study. The primary objective was complete response (CR) rate, defined as no emesis with no or mild nausea. Other endpoints included number of emetic episodes, nausea severity assessed using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS), the need for rescue antiemetics, and transplantation outcome, including regimen-related toxicity. One hundred eighty-one patients were randomized and 179 patients were eligible for analysis. Overall, CR rates were 81.9% for the aprepitant and 65.8% for the placebo arms (P < .001). Percentages of patients with no emesis all days were 73.3% for aprepitant and 22.5% placebo (P < .001). Mean VAS scores were 16.6 mm aprepitant and 16.9 mm placebo (NS), and there were no differences in the amount of rescue antiemetics used, regimen related toxicity, engraftment, or transplantation outcome. Aprepitant in combination with dexamethasone and ondansetron significantly decreased emesis and significant nausea, whereas not increasing RRT or affecting short-term survival but had no significant impact on the use of PRN antiemetics, or overall VAS nausea scores.

Seven-year follow-up of allogeneic transplant using BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan chemotherapy in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma after autograft failure: importance of minimal residual disease

Abstract Allogeneic transplant using reduced intensity conditioning is a therapeutic option for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) who relapse after an autograft. This was a prospective study of 31 consecutive eligible patients with HL who relapsed after an autograft and underwent an allograft using BEAM (BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) conditioning. At a median follow-up of 7 years the progression-free survival (PFS) was 36% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19–54%) and overall survival (OS) was 42% (95% CI 23–59%). In multivariate analysis only residual disease at the time of transplant predicted outcome, with a 4-year PFS and OS of 62% and 75% for patients with minimal residual disease versus 8% and 8% for patients with gross residual disease, respectively (p = 0.005 and p = 0.001, respectively). This benefit seemed to be irrespective of chemosensitivity, with an OS for patients with chemorefractory yet minimal disease of 71% at 4 years. BEAM allogeneic transplant is effective in producing long-term remissions after autograft failure. Regardless of chemosensitivity, minimizing tumor burden pre-transplant may improve long-term outcome.

A prospective investigation of cell dose in single-unit umbilical cord blood transplantation for adults with high-risk hematologic malignancies.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) as an allogeneic transplant source is generally limited to units with pre-cryopreservation total nucleated cell (TNC) doses ⩾2.5 × 107 NC/kg. We prospectively investigated single UCB transplantation, with cord units as low as 1 × 107 NC/kg, all processed with post-thaw albumin–dextran dilution. We transplanted 104 adult patients with 84% having relapsed/refractory disease. The median TNC dose was 2.1 × 107 NC/kg (range: 1.0–4.4 × 107) and median CD34+ cell dose was 1.0 × 105/kg (range: 0.0–3.7 × 105/kg). Post-manipulation cell recovery and viability were 96% and 99%, respectively. Median times to neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 16 and 43 days, respectively. Univariate factors predicting neutrophil engraftment included TNC (P=0.03) and CD34+ cell dose (P=0.01). CD34+ dose predicted platelet engraftment (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, CD34+ dose remained significant for neutrophil and platelet engraftment (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively). The 100-day and 1-year overall survival were 70% and 46%, respectively (95% confidence interval: 36%–56% at 1 year). The subset transplanted with 1–1.5 × 107 NC/kg had similar 100-day and 1-year survivals of 73% and 45%, respectively. Single-unit UCB transplantation using small units, processed as described, leads to favorable engraftment and acceptable outcomes in poor prognosis patients. CD34+ cell dose (⩾1.5 × 105/kg) helps predict faster engraftment and can aid in graft selection.

Donor Cell Myeloid Sarcoma

Donor cell derived malignancies are a rare and interesting complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. We present a case of a 56-year-old male with donor cell myeloid sarcoma of the stomach and myocardium.