Combination of fludarabine, amsacrine, and cytarabine followed by reduced-intensity conditioning and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia

Ann Hematol. 2013 Oct;92(10):1397-403. doi: 10.1007/s00277-013-1790-5. Epub 2013 Jun 1.

Abstract

Sequential use of chemotherapy and reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) with allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) has been proposed to improve the treatment outcomes in patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we present our experience with this procedure in a cohort of 60 AML patients with primary induction failure (n = 9); early, refractory, or ≥ second relapse (n = 41); or unfavorable cytogenetics (n = 10). A combination of fludarabine (30 mg/m²/day), cytarabine (2 g/m²/day), and amsacrine (100 mg/m²/day) for 4 days was used. After 3 days of rest, RIC was carried out, consisting of 4 Gy total body irradiation, antithymocyte globulin (ATG-Fresenius), and cyclophosphamide (fludarabine, amsacrine, and cytarabine (FLAMSA)-RIC protocol). Prophylactic donor lymphocyte infusions (pDLIs) were given in patients with complete remission (CR) and without evidence of graft-versus-host disease ≥120 days after SCT. The median time of neutrophil engraftment was 17 days. CR was achieved in 47 of 60 patients (78%). Eleven patients received pDLIs resulting in long-term CR in eight of them. Non-relapse mortality after 1 and 3 years was 25 and 28%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 37 months (range, 10-69), 3-year overall survival and 3-year progression-free survival were 42 and 33%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, dose of CD34(+) cells >5 × 10⁶/kg (p = 0.005; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.276), remission of AML before SCT (p = 0.044; HR = 0.421), and achievement of complete chimerism after SCT (p = 0.001; HR = 0.205) were significant factors of better overall survival. The use of the FLAMSA-RIC protocol in suitable high-risk AML patients results in a long-term survival rate of over 40%.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amsacrine / therapeutic use*
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Cytarabine / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Vidarabine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vidarabine / therapeutic use
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Amsacrine
  • Cytarabine
  • Vidarabine
  • fludarabine