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Non-Myeloablative Stem Cell Transplants

Dose-reduced conditioning for allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation: durable engraftment without antithymocyte globulin

Abstract

Between February 1998 and October 1999, 24 patients with advanced leukemia, lymphoma or solid tumors received G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) from HLA-matched sibling donors after dose-reduced conditioning therapy. Only patients with reduced performance status or major infectious complications, not eligible for standard transplant procedures, were included. The 5-day conditioning therapy consisted of 3.3 mg/kg intravenous busulphan × 2 days and 30 mg/m2fludarabine × 5 days. GVHD prophylaxis was performed with either CsA alone (n = 5), CsA combined with short course methotrexate (n = 5) or mycophenolate mofetil (n = 14). The day 100 survival was 95.2% for the whole group. All patients engrafted after a median of 15 days (range, 11–19) and 12.5 days (range, 10–19) for neutrophils and platelets, respectively. The median time to a neutrophil count of <0.5 × 109/l was 7 days (range, 2 to 12). acute gvhd >I was observed in six patients, whereas eight patients have signs of chronic GVHD. The prospective 12 month overall survival with a median follow-up of 7 months is 63%. Relapse of disease and toxicity associated with chronic GVHD were the main causes of death. The treatment-related mortality was 12.5%. Dose-reduced conditioning using intravenous busulphan and fludarabine allows stable engraftment without ATG in related transplants and leads to a reduction of transplant-related mortality. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 26, 119–125.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Dr Mildred Scheel Stiftung ‘Deutsche Krebshilfe’ for supporting the Bone Marrow Transplantation center in Dresden.

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Bornhäuser, M., Thiede, C., Schuler, U. et al. Dose-reduced conditioning for allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation: durable engraftment without antithymocyte globulin. Bone Marrow Transplant 26, 119–125 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1702500

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