Phase 2 study of arsenic trioxide followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation for relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia

Blood. 2013 Apr 18;121(16):3095-102. doi: 10.1182/blood-2012-11-466862. Epub 2013 Feb 14.

Abstract

The optimal treatments for relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) remain equivocal. We conducted a phase 2 study to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of a sequential treatment consisting of induction and consolidation with arsenic trioxide (ATO), peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) harvest after high-dose cytarabine chemotherapy, and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Between 2005 and 2009, 35 patients (26 with hematologic and 9 with molecular relapse) were enrolled. Induction therapy resulted in complete remission in 81% of those with hematologic relapse, and most patients became negative for PML-RARα after the first ATO consolidation course, but 4 remained positive. Administration of the second ATO consolidation course further decreased the transcript levels in 3 patients. In total, 25 patients proceeded to PBSC harvest, all of whom successfully achieved the target CD34+ cell doses, and 23 underwent autologous HCT with PML-RARα-negative PBSC graft. Posttransplant relapse occurred in 3 patients, and there was no transplant-related mortality. With a median follow-up of 4.9 years, the 5-year event-free and overall survival rates were 65% and 77%, respectively. These findings demonstrate the outstanding efficacy and feasibility of the sequential treatment featuring ATO and autologous HCT for relapsed APL. This study was registered at http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/ as #C000000302.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Arsenic Trioxide
  • Arsenicals / therapeutic use*
  • Cytarabine / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / genetics
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / genetics
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics
  • Oxides / therapeutic use*
  • Remission Induction
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transplantation, Autologous
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Arsenicals
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Oxides
  • promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion oncoprotein
  • Cytarabine
  • Arsenic Trioxide