High-dose melphalan allows durable engraftment of allogeneic bone marrow

Bone Marrow Transplant. 1995 Feb;15(2):321-3.

Abstract

Conditioning regimens for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation are designed to eradicate malignant cells and to provide sufficient immunosuppression for engraftment of donor marrow. Total body irradiation and high-dose cyclophosphamide are the most established immunosuppressive agents used for this purpose. It is uncertain whether other alkylating agent-based conditioning regimens are sufficiently immunosuppressive to allow engraftment of allogeneic marrow. We report four patients who had prompt engraftment after conditioning with melphalan-based chemotherapy regimens (BEAM or busulfan/melphalan). Two patients survived without disease for a prolonged period, indicating that these melphalan regimens are sufficiently immunosuppressive to allow sustained engraftment and donor hematopoiesis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation*
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control*
  • Hodgkin Disease / mortality
  • Hodgkin Disease / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Melphalan / administration & dosage*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / surgery*

Substances

  • Melphalan