Fractionated total-body irradiation, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide plus autografting in Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PURPOSE: High-dose etoposide was incorporated into a regimen of fractionated total-body irradiation (FTBI) and high-dose cyclophosphamide before autologous transplant with the goal to enhance the antitumor effect of the myeloablative regimen in poor-risk lymphoid malignancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-six patients, 24 with recurrent or refractory Hodgkin's disease and 72 with poor-risk non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), were treated on this study. Cytoreduction with conventional therapy was attempted before administration of the preparatory regimen. The preparatory regimen consisted of 12 Gy total-body irradiation administered in 10 1.2-Gy fractions on day -8 through day -5, etoposide 60 mg/kg on day -4, and cyclophosphamide 100 mg/kg on day -2. Patients with NHL received bone marrow purged with a panel of monoclonal antibodies and complement on day 0, while patients with Hodgkin's disease received peripheral-blood stem cells alone or with unmanipulated bone marrow. RESULTS: The major morbidities of transplant were mucositis and skin toxicity. Eight patients (8.6%) died of regimen-related toxicities within 100 days of transplant. Engraftment was related to the rescue product; the median time to a neutrophil count more than 500/microL was 10 days for patients with Hodgkin's disease and 16 days for NHL patients. With a maximum follow-up duration of longer than 5 years, the 3-year actuarial survival rate is 57%. At 3 years, the actuarial freedom from progression (FFP) rate is 55% and the event-free survival rate is 47% for patients with Hodgkin's disease, while the respective figures for NHL patients are 60% and 53%. Among 32 patients with intermediate- and high-grade lymphoma transplanted subsequent to first relapse, 70% are free of lymphoma and 60% are event-free at > or = 3 years. CONCLUSION: The preparatory regimen consisting of FTBI, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide demonstrates relative efficacy in patients with Hodgkin's disease and NHL selected for high-dose therapy. Longer follow-up duration is needed to determine the rate of cure and to assess late complications. Major remaining challenges for high-dose therapy are a more inclusive strategy for all poor-risk patients and the need to reduce posttransplant relapses.

Duke Scholars

Author Nelson Jen An Chao Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy

Author Gwynn Douglas Long Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy