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Thalidomide as salvage therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Parker, PM; Chao, N; Nademanee, A; O'Donnell, MR; Schmidt, GM; Snyder, DS; Stein, AS; Smith, EP; Molina, A; Stepan, DE; Kashyap, A; Planas, I ...
Published in: Blood
November 1, 1995

Thalidomide has been reported to be an effective agent for treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (CGVHD). To determine the efficacy of this agent in patients with refractory CGVHD a total of 80 patients who failed to respond to prednisone (PSE) or PSE and cyclosporine (CSA) were treated with thalidomide. Sixteen patients (20%) had a sustained response, 9 with a complete remission and 7 with a partial response. Twenty-nine patients (36%) had thalidomide discontinued because of side effects, which included sedation, constipation, neuritis, skin rash, and neutropenia. Side effects were reversible with drug discontinuation except for mild residual neuritis in one case. Rashes and neutropenia have not previously been reported as thalidomide side effects when used for CGVHD treatment. We conclude thalidomide is immunosuppressive and active in the treatment of CGVHD. A high incidence of reversible side effects limited dose intensity and reduced the number of patients who could benefit from treatment.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Blood

ISSN

0006-4971

Publication Date

November 1, 1995

Volume

86

Issue

9

Start / End Page

3604 / 3609

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Thalidomide
  • Survival Rate
  • Salvage Therapy
  • Remission Induction
  • Prednisone
  • Neutropenia
  • Neuritis
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
 

Citation

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Parker, P. M., Chao, N., Nademanee, A., O’Donnell, M. R., Schmidt, G. M., Snyder, D. S., … Forman, S. J. (1995). Thalidomide as salvage therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease. Blood, 86(9), 3604–3609.
Parker, P. M., N. Chao, A. Nademanee, M. R. O’Donnell, G. M. Schmidt, D. S. Snyder, A. S. Stein, et al. “Thalidomide as salvage therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease.Blood 86, no. 9 (November 1, 1995): 3604–9.
Parker PM, Chao N, Nademanee A, O’Donnell MR, Schmidt GM, Snyder DS, et al. Thalidomide as salvage therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease. Blood. 1995 Nov 1;86(9):3604–9.
Parker, P. M., et al. “Thalidomide as salvage therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease.Blood, vol. 86, no. 9, Nov. 1995, pp. 3604–09.
Parker PM, Chao N, Nademanee A, O’Donnell MR, Schmidt GM, Snyder DS, Stein AS, Smith EP, Molina A, Stepan DE, Kashyap A, Planas I, Spielberger R, Somlo G, Margolin K, Zwingenberger K, Wilsman K, Negrin RS, Long GD, Niland JC, Blume KG, Forman SJ. Thalidomide as salvage therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease. Blood. 1995 Nov 1;86(9):3604–3609.

Published In

Blood

ISSN

0006-4971

Publication Date

November 1, 1995

Volume

86

Issue

9

Start / End Page

3604 / 3609

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Thalidomide
  • Survival Rate
  • Salvage Therapy
  • Remission Induction
  • Prednisone
  • Neutropenia
  • Neuritis
  • Middle Aged
  • Male