Isolated limb perfusion with hyperthermia and chemotherapy: predictive factors for regional toxicity

OBJECTIVE: Isolated limb perfusion combined with melphalan is an accepted treatment for obtaining locoregional control in advanced melanoma of the extremities and other malignant neoplasias restricted to the limb. This study aims to examine the factors associated with toxicity caused by the regional method. We considered the technical aspects of severe complications associated with the procedure in an attempt to diminish the patient morbidity that occurs during the learning curve. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the records of patients who underwent perfusion at the AC Camargo Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil between January 2000 and January 2009. The Wieberdink scale was applied to classify local toxicity and its relation to clinical and laboratory variables. RESULTS: Fifty-eight perfusions were performed in 55 patients. Most patients (86.2%) presented a toxicity level between I and III. Grade V toxicity was seen in five cases (8.6%), four of which occurred in the first 2 years. Creatine phosphokinase, an important predictive factor for toxicity, had an average value of 231.8 for toxicity grades I-III and 1286.2 for toxicity grades IV-V (p = 0.001). There was a relationship between the melphalan dose and toxicity, which was 77 mg (25 to 130 mg) for toxicity grades I-II and 93.5 mg (45 to 120 mg) for toxicity grades IV-V (p = 0.0204). CONCLUSION: It is possible to prevent the toxicity associated with melphalan by adjusting the dose according to the patient's body weight (especially for women and obese patients) and the creatine phosphokinase values in the postoperative period.

Síndrome de lisis de glóbulos blancos después de un trasplante autólogo de células troncales hematopoyéticas en el tratamiento de la amiloidosis AL renal: Caso clínico / White blood cell lysis syndrome after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in the treatment of renal AL amyloidosis: Case report

The treatment of AL amyloidosis was not successful until the advent of myeloablative chemotherapy consisting of high-dose intravenous melphalan followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. This new treatment has achieved better survival rates and, remarkably, it has obtained complete remission. Among patients with renal involvement, achievement of a complete hematological response was associated with a 50% reduction in proteinuria and stable creatinine clearance in more than 2/3 of patients. Despite of these excellent results, this new therapy is associated with significant toxicity, including the development of acute renal failure due to white blood cell lysis syndrome. We report a 59 year-old female with a nephrotic syndrome due to primary amyloidosis successfully treated autologous stem cell transplantation who developed acute renal failure caused by white blood cell lysis syndrome. The patient required treatment with granulocytic colony stimulating factor and intermittent hemofiltration and was discharged 23 days after melphalan administration with a satisfactory renal function and white blood cell count. After one year of follow up, she maintains a good glomerular filtration rate, a proteinuria of less than, 1 g/day and normal hematological values.

Gelatinous transformation of bone marrow following chemotherapy for myeloma.

Gelatinous transformation of the marrow (GTBM) has been associated with various conditions. We present a unique case of GTBM in a patient with myeloma following treatment with Melphalan.

Therapy related acute non-lymphocytic leukemia: report of 4 cases.

Four cases of acute myelodysplastic-non-lymphocytic leukemia secondary to cytotoxic agents were reported. Primary diseases were breast cancer (1 patient), ovarian cancer (2 patients) and multiple myeloma (1 patient). All except one (with multiple myeloma) were in clinical remission of their primary diseases. Common cytotoxic agent used was melphalan. Median total drug dose and median latent period from diagnosis of primary diseases were 1299 mg and 63 months respectively. None with the exception of one received specific treatment. All died except one who is in a very poor condition. Survival from the diagnosis of hematologic diseases ranged from 3-9 months. Clinical features, cytogenetic findings, pathogenetic mechanism and risk of the disease were briefly discussed.