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By Roberta Nichols
City of Hope researchers and collaborators have found that an aggressive treatment may not necessarily make for better outcomes when it comes to hematopoietic cell transplantation for multiple myeloma. In a Blood and Marrow Clinical Trials Network study of more than 700 patients at 43 transplant centers nationwide, the scientists found that a form of hematopoietic cell transplantation using a patient’s own blood stem cells is just as beneficial against standard-risk multiple myeloma as higher-risk transplantation using stem cells from a sibling donor. The team presented its findings at the 2010 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 5.  Amrita Krishnan (Photo by Paula Myers) |
Amrita Y. Krishnan, M.D., director of City of Hope’s multiple myeloma program, was lead author of the multicenter study that examined two stem cell transplantation regimens for the treatment of standard-risk multiple myeloma. City of Hope’s Firoozeh Sahebi, M.D., and George Somlo, M.D., were co-authors. The study compared outcomes for patients who either underwent two autologous transplants (transplants using their own stem cells) or one autologous transplant followed by an allogeneic transplant (a transplant using cells from a donor). “We know that allogeneic transplants have demonstrated a lower risk of cancer relapse, but also a higher risk of mortality than autologous transplants, so the question has been ‘what is the optimal kind of transplant to treat multiple myeloma?’” said Krishnan, associate professor in the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. “The study shows that in standard-risk patients, there is no added benefit to treatment with a reduced-intensity allogeneic transplantation.” The study conducted from December 2003 to March 2007 enrolled 436 patients who received tandem autologous transplants and 189 who received autologous-allogeneic transplants. The three-year progression-free survival rate for tandem autologous transplants was 46 percent compared to 43 percent for autologous-allogeneic transplants. Overall, 80 percent of tandem autologous transplant patients survived three years compared to 77 percent of autologous-allogeneic transplant patients. The survival rates are considered not significantly different, Krishnan said. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 20,000 Americans will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma this year, and more than 10,000 will die from the disease. Multiple myeloma, the second leading diagnosed blood cancer, occurs when an abundance of abnormal plasma cells can cause bone lesions and interfere with the production of normal blood cells. Standard treatment for multiple myeloma can include chemotherapy, hematopoietic cell transplantation and targeted maintenance drugs. City of Hope enjoys a growing presence at hematology meeting
by Roberta Nichols The work of more than 50 City of Hope researchers was featured in more than 40 pre-sentations during the 52nd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) December 2010, underscoring the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation’s continued national contributions. “Throughout the years, our contributions at this prestigious meeting have continued to grow,” said Stephen J. Forman, M.D., Francis and Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair in Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and chair of the department.
“This year, all of our submissions of laboratory and clinical work conducted by our researchers were accepted for presentation at ASH,” Forman added. Studies touched on topics including new drug development, transplantation and assessment of long-term outcomes.
For the first time, ASH selected two City of Hope researchers to present their findings at press briefings. The Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation’s Amrita Krishnan, M.D., director of the Multiple Myeloma Program, presented the results of a national trial of transplant for treatment of myeloma, and Robert Chen, M.D., Tim Nesvig Lymphoma Fellow, described the results of a study examining a new drug for treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma. To read abstracts from City of Hope researchers, visit www.hematology.org. |
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