Efficacy and safety of carfilzomib regimens in multiple myeloma patients relapsing after autologous stem cell transplant: ASPIRE and ENDEAVOR outcomes.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a standard treatment for eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients, but many patients will relapse after ASCT and require subsequent therapy. The proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib is approved for relapsed or refractory MM (RRMM). In phase 3 trials, carfilzomib-based regimens (ASPIRE, carfilzomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone; ENDEAVOR, carfilzomib-dexamethasone) demonstrated superior progression-free survival (PFS) compared with standard therapies for RRMM (ASPIRE: lenalidomide-dexamethasone; ENDEAVOR, bortezomib-dexamethasone). This subgroup analysis of ASPIRE and ENDEAVOR evaluated outcomes according to prior ASCT status. In total, 446 patients in ASPIRE and 538 in ENDEAVOR had prior ASCT. Median PFS was longer for carfilzomib-based regimens vs non-carfilzomib-based regimens for patients with prior ASCT (ASPIRE: 26.3 vs 17.8 months (hazard ratio (HR)=0.68); ENDEAVOR: not estimable vs 10.2 months (HR=0.61)), those with one prior line of therapy that included ASCT (ASPIRE: 29.7 vs 17.8 months (HR=0.70); ENDEAVOR: not estimable vs 11.2 months (HR=0.46)), and those without prior ASCT (ASPIRE: 26.4 vs 16.6 months (HR=0.76); ENDEAVOR: 17.7 vs 8.5 months (HR=0.43)). Overall response rates also favored the carfilzomib-based regimens. No new safety signals were detected. This analysis suggests that carfilzomib-based treatment may lead to improvement in PFS and response rates regardless of prior transplant status. Further evaluation is warranted.

Outcome with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone followed by early autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma on the ECOG-ACRIN E4A03 randomized clinical trial: long-term follow-up.

In Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-ACRIN E4A03, on completion of four cycles of therapy, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients had the option of proceeding to autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant (ASCT) or continuing on their assigned therapy lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone (Ld) or lenalidomide plus high-dose dexamethasone (LD). This landmark analysis compared the outcome of 431 patients surviving their first four cycles of therapy pursuing early ASCT to those continuing on their assigned therapy. Survival distributions were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with log-rank test. Ninety patients (21%) opted for early ASCT. The 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year survival probability estimates were higher for early ASCT versus no early ASCT at 99, 93, 91, 85 and 80% versus 94, 84, 75, 65 and 57%, respectively. The median overall survival (OS) in the early versus no early ASCT group was not reached (NR) versus 5.78 years. In patients <65 years of age, median OS in the early versus no early ASCT groups was NR in both, hazard ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval: (0.50, 0.25). In patients ⩾65 years of age, median OS in the early versus no early ASCT was NR versus 5.11 years. ASCT dropped out of statistical significance (P=0.080). Patients opting for ASCT after induction Ld/LD had a higher survival probability and improvement in OS regardless of dexamethasone dose density.

Children's emotional adaptation to parental BMT.

Few studies have examined the effect of parental BMT on the family and less is known regarding the impact on children. The purpose of this prospective study was to increase understanding of children's adaptation to the stress of parental BMT across a 12-month trajectory. Data were obtained from 61 children ages 10-18 before parental transplant, during parental hospitalization, 1, 4 , 8 and 12 months post BMT. Mixed linear modeling was used to analyze longitudinal data from children nested within families. Analyses examined change in child emotional adaptation, points of greatest vulnerability throughout the BMT trajectory and the impact of theoretically relevant variables on their adaptation. Children's emotional adaptation became significantly more positive over time, although their level of distress remained above the norm. Pre-transplant was the period of greatest emotional distress. Negative self-esteem, disruption within the family structure, use of disengagement coping and the mother as transplant recipient were associated with more negative adaptation. Further research is needed to fully understand the effects of parental BMT on children. However, these findings point to the importance of considering the adaptation of children and its implications for the development of preventive family interventions for this vulnerable population.

Palifermin for the reduction of acute GVHD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the efficacy of palifermin to reduce the incidence of severe (grade 3-4) acute GVHD after myeloablation and allo-SCT. Adults who received allo-SCT for hematologic malignancies received placebo or palifermin 60 µg/kg daily on three consecutive days before conditioning and a single dose of 180 µg/kg after conditioning, but often 1 or 2 days before allo-SCT. Subjects received MTX (plus CYA or tacrolimus) on days 1, 3, 6 and 11. Acute GVHD was evaluated once weekly and oral mucositis was evaluated daily. Subjects were randomly assigned to placebo (n=78) or palifermin (n=77). Conditioning included TBI in approximately half of the subjects (48% placebo, 51% palifermin). The primary efficacy end point, subject incidence of grade 3-4 acute GVHD, was similar between treatment groups (17% placebo, 16% palifermin). Grade 3-4 oral mucositis (73% placebo, 81% palifermin) and other secondary efficacy end points were similar between treatment groups. The most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were skin/s.c. events such as rash, pruritus, and erythema. This exploratory study of acute GVHD after myeloablation and allo-SCT did not provide evidence of a treatment effect with this dosing regimen of palifermin.

Phase I trial and pharmacokinetic study of high-dose clofarabine and busulfan and allogeneic stem cell transplantation in adults with high-risk and refractory acute leukemia.

We conducted a phase I trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of clofarabine with high-dose busulfan followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with high-risk and refractory acute leukemia. Patients received intravenous busulfan 0.8 mg/kg every 6 h on days -6 to -3 and clofarabine 30-60 mg/m(2) per day on days -6 to -2. Graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis included sirolimus plus tacrolimus (days -2 to +180). A total of 15 patients, median age 48 (30-58) years, with acute leukemia that was relapsed and refractory (n=8), primary refractory (n=6), or in CR2 (n=1), were treated at four clofarabine dose levels: 30 (n=3), 40 (n=3), 50 (n=3) and 60 mg/m(2) per day (n=6) with busulfan. All engrafted, and the MTD was not reached. Grades 3-4 non-hematological toxicities included vomiting (n=3), mucositis (n=9), hand-foot syndrome (n=1), acute renal failure (n=1) and reversible elevation of aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (n=10). The 1-year event-free survival was 53% (95% confidence interval: 33-86%), and the 1-year overall survival was 60% (95% confidence interval: 40-91%). Given the good tolerability and promising results, we recommend clofarabine 60 mg/m(2) per day × 5 days as a phase II dose in combination with busulfan (12.8 mg per kg total dose) for further study as a myeloablative regimen for allogeneic SCT for high-risk acute leukemia.

Long-term disease-free survival after nonmyeloablative cyclophosphamide/fludarabine conditioning and related/unrelated allotransplantation for acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplasia.

A total of 50 consecutive patients (median age, 57.5 years) with AML (n=30) or myelodysplasia (MDS, n=20) underwent HLA matched related donor (MRD, n=27) or unrelated donor (MUD, n=23) peripheral blood hematopoietic cell transplantation after nonmyeloablative CY/fludarabine (Flu) conditioning. GVHD prophylaxis included CsA (n=19)+/-mycophenolate mofetil (n=31). At a median follow-up of 59 months, 21 patients (42%) were alive without evidence of disease. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, year 1-4 disease-free survival (DFS) and OS estimates were 0.50/0.58, 0.40/0.46, 0.37/0.43 and 0.37/0.41. MUD recipients were engrafted quickly (13.5 days) compared to MRD recipients (16 days) and relapsed/progressed less frequently (P=0.005). Overall grade 3/4 acute GVHD (aGVHD) occurred in 26% in the absence of antecedent mucositis and was associated with chronic GVHD (cGVHD) and poor OS. Extensive cGVHD developed in 51.2% of 100 day survivors. Rates of aGVHD, cGVHD and survival were similar between MRD and MUD recipients. Of 14 survivors with cGVHD, 5 (35.7%) experienced resolution off immunosuppression, suggesting that tolerance with HLA matched grafts is possible at an advanced age by this method. This study provides further evidence for prolonged DFS after CY/Flu MRD allotransplantation for AML/MDS, and extends the findings to older patients and those with unrelated donors.

Adaptation of family caregivers during the acute phase of adult BMT.

This study examined the course of adaptation as indicated by the level of emotional distress for family caregivers of adult BM recipients across the acute phase of the transplant trajectory. Factors influencing caregivers' adaptation that could be potential markers of vulnerability to psychological and social morbidity were identified. The sample included 192 caregivers of either an autologous or allogeneic BMT recipient. Data were collected by self-report questionnaires at three time points in the trajectory: pre-transplant/pre-hospitalization (T1); during hospitalization, post-infusion (T2); 1 month post-discharge (T3). There was a decline in emotional distress from T1 to T3, and bivariate correlations indicated significant association of distress with variables hypothesized to be theoretically relevant. Specifically, greater personal control, a greater sense of spiritual connectedness, less disruption in the life of the caregiver and less use of avoidance coping were the strongest factors associated with lower emotional distress. In conclusion (1) levels of personal control and spirituality remained stable across time and were negatively associated with emotional distress. Therefore, they may provide an indication of caregiver resilience pre-transplant; (2) level of recipient symptomatology rather than BMT type appears to influence caregiver distress; (3) there are indications of the need for post-hospitalization follow-up with caregivers by the BMT team.

Skin cancer after nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common skin cancer in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, and is well documented to occur in patients that have undergone either solid organ transplantation or conventional myeloablative bone marrow transplantation. Nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation (NMAT) provides transient, intensive immunosuppression, permitting allogeneic engraftment without ablating the marrow. The purpose of this report is to describe six patients that developed SCC (n=3), basal cell carcinoma (n=2), or malignant melanoma (n=2) over a period of 2-26 months following NMAT. All patients had myelodysplasia or acute myelogenous leukemia prior to transplantation. The authors demonstrate for the first time that patients who undergo NMAT are at risk for developing skin cancers and emphasize the need for close surveillance in the post transplantation period.

A pilot study of dose-intensified procarbazine, CCNU, vincristine for poor prognosis brain tumors utilizing fibronectin-assisted, retroviral-mediated modification of CD34+ peripheral blood cells with O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase.

Administration of chemotherapy is often limited by myelosuppression. Expression of drug-resistance genes in hematopoietic cells has been proposed as a means to decrease the toxicity of cytotoxic agents. In this pilot study, we utilized a retroviral vector expressing methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) to transduce hematopoietic progenitors, which were subsequently used in the setting of alkylator therapy (procarbazine, CCNU, vincristine (PCV)) for poor prognosis brain tumors. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells were collected by apheresis and enriched for CD34+ expression. Nine subjects were infused with CD34+-enriched cells treated in a transduction procedure involving a 4-day exposure to cytokines with vector exposure on days 3 and 4. No major adverse event was related to the gene therapy procedure. Importantly, the engraftment kinetics of the treated product was similar to unmanipulated peripheral blood stem cells, suggesting that the ex vivo manipulation did not significantly reduce engrafting progenitor cell function. Gene-transduced cells were detected in all subjects. Although the level and duration was limited, patients receiving cells transduced using fibronectin 'preloaded' with virus supernatant appeared to show improved in vivo marking frequency. These findings demonstrate the feasibility and safety of utilizing MGMT-transduced CD34+ peripheral blood progenitor cells in the setting of chemotherapy.

A multicenter phase 2 trial of stem cell transplantation for immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis (E4A97): an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study.

Stem cell transplantation was introduced as a new therapeutic modality for amyloidosis. The purpose of the current study was to determine the feasibility and toxicity of stem cell transplantation for amyloidosis in a cooperative group setting in which most participating institutions would have limited experience in managing the disorder. A total of 30 patients with biopsy-proven amyloidosis shown to be immunoglobulin light-chain type were enrolled on this trial. The protocol required mobilization of a minimum of 6 x 10(8) mononuclear cells/kg or 5 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg ideal body weight. These targets had to be achieved within seven collections. Patients with advanced hepatic, renal, or cardiac failure were excluded. End points included objective response rate and overall survival. The secondary end point of the protocol was nonhematologic toxicity. Accrual to the study was faster than expected. The overall response rate (hematologic and organ) was 64%, with three treatment-related deaths. Another patient died before day 30 of sudden cardiac death not treatment related. The median follow-up of surviving patients is 30.3 months. Median survival has not been reached. Stem cell transplantation for selected patients with amyloidosis is feasible in a cooperative group setting. A multicenter phase 3 trial of high-dose therapy is indicated.

Nonablative hematopoietic cell transplantation for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Nonablative hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is becoming a preferred treatment for those recipients in whom the potential toxicity risk of standard ablative allogeneic therapy may be unacceptable. Graft-versus-malignancy effects may be generated against epithelial malignancies which are similar to the graft-versus-leukemia activity that is well documented in human hematological malignancies. Renal cell carcinoma has been shown to be responsive to immunotherapy with recombinant human cytokines and may be an ideal model for exploring this novel therapy. Clinical investigations have demonstrated regression of metastatic renal cell carcinoma occurs in some patients following nonablative allogeneic HCT. However, graft-versus-host disease remains a significant toxicity of nonablative transplantation, and further investigations are warranted to further evaluate this promising approach and to improve its safety.

Homing, cell cycle kinetics and fate of transplanted hematopoietic stem cells.

Homing of transplanted hematopoietic stem cells to recipient bone marrow is a critical step in engraftment and initiation of marrow reconstitution. At present, only partial understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing homing exists. Likewise, only an incomplete list of adhesion molecules implicated in directing the trafficking of stem cells to the marrow microenvironment is available. Opposing hypotheses that attribute homing to an orderly and orchestrated cascade of events or to random migration of circulating cells find ample experimental support. Also unsettled is the fate of marrow-homed cells shortly after transplantation and the rapidity at which they begin to proliferate in their new marrow microenvironment. The limited number of studies in this field and disparities in their experimental design intensifies the confusion surrounding these critical aspects of stem cell biology. However, this area of research is moving forward rapidly and results capable of clarifying many of these issues are forthcoming.

High-dose carboplatin with etoposide in patients with recurrent thymoma: the Indiana University experience.

Thymoma is a chemotherapy-sensitive tumor with a 30-50% 5-year survival in previously untreated patients. Unfortunately, durable CRs with salvage chemotherapy are rarely observed. We initiated a phase II trial of high-dose carboplatin and etoposide in patients with relapsed thymoma or thymic carcinoma. All patients had progressive disease (PD) after initial or salvage chemotherapy, but were not cisplatin-refractory. PBSCs were mobilized using 10 microg/kg/day G-CSF. Patients received carboplatin 700 mg/m(2) and etoposide 750 mg/m(2) i.v. on days -5, -4, -3. Five patients were enrolled and evaluated after tandem transplants 4 weeks apart. All patients had pleural-based and lung parenchymal metastasis, one or two prior surgeries and two or more courses of prior cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens. Chemotherapy was well tolerated, although grade IV hematological toxicity occurred in all patients. Progression-free survival following HDC ranged from 3.5 to 16.5 months. One patient maintained a CR for 12.8 months, then died from an unrelated cause. With a minimum of 2 years follow-up for all patients, three of five patients remain alive at 26+, 36+, and 49+ months. High-dose carboplatin and etoposide in relapsed thymoma is feasible with acceptable toxicity; however, these limited data do not appear superior to standard-dose salvage therapy.

Proliferation of human hematopoietic bone marrow cells in simulated microgravity.

Expansion and/or maintenance of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) potential following in vitro culture remains a major obstacle in stem cell biology and bone marrow (BM) transplantation. Several studies suggest that culture of mammalian cells in microgravity (micro-g) may reduce proliferation and differentiation of these cells. We investigated the application of these findings to the field of stem cell biology in the hopes of expanding HSC with minimal loss of hematopoietic function. To this end, BM CD34+ cells were cultured for 4-6 d in rotating wall vessels for simulation of micro-g, and assessed for expansion, cell cycle activation, apoptosis, and hematopoietic potential. While CD34+ cells cultured in normal gravity (1-g) proliferated up to threefold by day 4-6, cells cultured in micro-g did not increase in number. As a possible explanation for this, cells cultured in simulated micro-g were found to exit G0/G1 phase of cell cycle at a slower rate than 1-g controls. When assayed for primitive hematopoietic potential in secondary conventional 1-g long-term cultures, cells from initial micro-g cultures produced greater numbers of cells and progenitors, and for a longer period of time, than cultures initiated with 1-g control cells. Similar low levels of apoptosis and adhesion molecule phenotype in micro-g and 1-g-cultured cells suggested similar growth patterns in the two settings. These data begin to elucidate the effects of micro-g on proliferation of human hematopoietic cells and may be potentially beneficial to the fields of stem cell biology and somatic gene therapy.

Fludarabine and cytarabine as a sequential infusion regimen for treatment of adults with recurrent, refractory or poor prognosis acute leukemia.

We did a retrospective analysis on the safety and efficacy of sequential infusion fludarabine and cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) in treating refractory, recurrent or poor prognosis acute leukemia in adult patients. Forty-five adult patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) received a total of 68 courses of sequential continuous infusion of fludarabine for 2 days (total dose 71.5 mg/m(2) ) followed by 3 days of ara-C (total dose 7590 mg/m(2) ). Thirty-nine patients had refractory or recurrent disease, and six had other adverse prognostic features. Thirty-six patients had AML, seven had ALL, and two had CML in blastic phase. Complete remission was seen in 20 patients (44%), and partial remission in 5 patients (11%), giving a total response rate of 56%, similar for both AML and ALL. Duration of response to prior therapy did not affect the response rate. All 3 patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive ALL obtained complete remission. Median remission duration was 4.7 months (range 0.6-36.6), and median overall survival was 5.0 months (0.7-40+). Median overall survival was 10.1 months in responders. Pulmonary toxicity was seen in 8 patients, of whom 2 died from adult respiratory distress syndrome. No cardiac toxicity was observed, but 3 patients had transient cerebellar toxicity. Profound myelosuppression was seen in all patients. We conclude that the sequential infusion of fludarabine and ara-C is an effective non-cardiotoxic regimen for adults with refractory, recurrent or poor prognosis acute leukemia, may be particularly useful for resistant Philadelphia chromosome positive ALL, and may warrant further investigation in this subset. Pulmonary rather than neurological toxicity may be a unique side effect of the regimen.

High-dose chemotherapy as initial salvage chemotherapy in patients with relapsed testicular cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess the role of high-dose chemotherapy as initial salvage chemotherapy in patients with relapsed testicular cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August 1992 to April 1998, 65 patients with testicular cancer were treated with high-dose carboplatin and etoposide followed by peripheral-blood stem-cell transplantation or autologous bone marrow transplantation rescue as initial salvage chemotherapy at Indiana University. An identical course was given after hematopoietic reconstitution. Postchemotherapy resection of residual disease was performed in selected patients with incomplete radiographic response associated with normalization of markers. The median follow-up was 39 months (range, 16 to 91 months). RESULTS: Thirty-seven (57%) of the 65 patients are continuously disease-free. Three additional patients are disease-free with subsequent surgery. High-dose chemotherapy was associated with significant morbidity but no treatment-related mortality. CONCLUSION: High-dose chemotherapy as initial salvage chemotherapy achieved impressive long-term survival with acceptable toxicity in patients with relapsed testicular cancer.