Purpose We sought to reduce the risk of infectious complications and non-relapse mortality (NRM) associated with the use of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) without compromising control of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients undergoing reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) transplantation. Methods As part of an ongoing quality improvement effort, we lowered the dose of rabbit ATG from 7.5 mg/kg of ATG (R-ATG) (n=39) to 6.0 mg/kg of ATG (r-ATG) (n=33) in association with fludarabine and busulfan RIC transplantation and then monitored patients for adverse events, relapse, and survival. Results Of the 72 mostly high risk (82%) patients studied, 89% received unrelated donor allografts, 25% of which were HLA-mismatched. No differences in post-transplantation full donor-cell chimerism rates were observed between the two ATG-dose groups (p>0.05). When R-ATG vs. r-ATG patients were compared, we observed no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of grade II–IV acute GVHD (32% vs. 27%; p-=0.73) or grade III–IV acute GVHD (23% vs. 11%; p=0.28). However, the r-ATG group had significantly less CMV reactivation (64% vs. 30%; p=0.005) and bacterial infections (56% vs. 18%; p=0.001), a better 1-year cumulative incidence of NRM (18% vs. 3%; p=0.03) and a trend for better 1-year overall survival (64% vs. 84%; p=0.07) compared to R-ATG patients. Conclusions A seemingly modest reduction in the dose of rabbit ATG did not compromise control of acute GVHD or achievement of donor chimerism but led to a significant decrease in the risk of serious infections and NRM in high risk RIC allograft recipients.

Summary:Long-term outcome was analyzed in 28 patients transplanted between 1989 and 1992 following busulfan and cyclophosphamide and who had busulfan levels studied. While there was no significant correlation of busulfan levels with diagnosis, patients who had received extensive prior chemotherapy had a significantly higher area under the curve (AUC; P = 0.02) and maximum busulfan levels (Cmax; P = 0.03). High AUC was associated with the development of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (P = 0.03) and with early transplant-related mortality (P = 0.06). No significant correlation of busulfan levels with relapse, late non-relapse death, late complications, nor event-free survival was detected. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2001) 27, 1121-1124.

Summary:The purpose of the study was to determine the toxicities and effectiveness of a novel preparative regimen of busulfan (Bu) 14 mg/kg, etoposide 50 or 60 mg/kg, and cyclophosphamide (Cy) 120 mg/kg in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and to analyze results using doses based on different body weight parameters and the two different etoposide doses. Three hundred and eightytwo patients aged 16 to 72 underwent first autologous transplantation with mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells between August 1992 and December 1998 at either of two transplant centers. Mucositis was the most common toxicity. Hepatic toxicity was the most common life-threatening toxicity; severe hepatic VOD occurred in 11 patients (2.9%). Ten patients (2.6%) died from treatment-related toxicity. The 3-year progressionfree survival (PFS) for the entire group was 46.9% (95% CI, 40.5-53.3%). Elevated LDH, resistance to chemotherapy, and intermediate/aggressive histology were significant adverse prognostic factors. For patients in sensitive first relapse PFS was 47.0% (95% CI, 37-57%). Neither etoposide dose nor body weight parameter utilized significantly affected outcome. In conclusion, the novel preparative regimen of Bu, etoposide and Cy results in a low incidence of treatment-related mortality and is effective in the treatment of patients with NHL. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 1243-1248. Keywords: autotransplantation; non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; busulfan High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous transplantation of hematopoietic progenitor cells is curative in many patients with NHL who fail primary therapy. [1][2][3][4] The superiority of this approach over standard chemotherapy has been proven in patients with chemotherapy-sensitive, relapsed intermediate and high-grade NHL. 5 Autotransplantation is also commonly performed in patients with more advanced

Etoposide plus G-CSF is an effective and safe method for mobilization of PBPCs. Etoposide is an effective agent in tumor reduction in NHL and HD and is less effective in breast cancer. The substantially lower incidence of prior exposure to this agent compared with cyclophosphamide favors its use.