~2 spots leftby Oct 2025

Marrow Irradiation + Chemotherapy for Leukemia

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
Monzr M. Al Malki, M.D. | City of Hope
Overseen byMonzr M. Al Malki
Age: Any Age
Sex: Any
Travel: May Be Covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Phase 1
Recruiting
Sponsor: City of Hope Medical Center
Must not be taking: Investigational agents
Disqualifiers: Uncontrolled illness, Other malignancies, others
No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?This phase I studies the side effects and best dose of total marrow and lymphoid irradiation when given together with fludarabine and melphalan before donor stem cell transplant in treating participants with high-risk acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. Giving chemotherapy, such as fludarabine and melphalan, and total marrow and lymphoid irradiation before a donor stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cells in the bone marrow, including normal blood-forming cells (stem cells) and cancer cells. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into the patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify if you must stop all current medications, but you should stop any intensive chemotherapy or radiotherapy at least 2 weeks before starting the trial. Some low-dose or maintenance chemotherapy drugs are allowed within 7 days of enrollment.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Marrow Irradiation + Chemotherapy for Leukemia?

Research shows that combining fludarabine, melphalan, and total body irradiation (TBI) can improve survival and disease control in leukemia patients, with some studies indicating better outcomes compared to using these drugs without TBI. This combination has been fairly well tolerated in both adult and pediatric patients, even for those undergoing second transplants.

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Is the combination of marrow irradiation and chemotherapy with fludarabine and melphalan safe for humans?

The combination of fludarabine and melphalan, sometimes with total body irradiation, has been used in conditioning regimens for stem cell transplants. However, it is associated with significant toxicity, including heart, kidney, and liver issues, and some patients have experienced severe heart problems. Despite these risks, the treatment can lead to successful engraftment and disease control in some patients.

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What makes the treatment of Marrow Irradiation + Chemotherapy for Leukemia unique?

This treatment combines fludarabine and melphalan with total marrow irradiation (TMI), which is a more targeted form of radiation therapy compared to traditional total body irradiation (TBI). This approach aims to reduce toxicity while improving disease control and survival rates in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation for leukemia.

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Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for people with high-risk acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome who haven't had more than three intensive chemotherapy treatments and no previous transplants. Participants should be between 12-55 years old, have a certain level of physical fitness, and proper organ function. Women and men must use birth control during the study.

Inclusion Criteria

My cancer diagnosis is a type of blood cancer.
My AML is classified as high or intermediate risk, excluding FLT3-NPM1+.
My condition is acute lymphocytic leukemia.
+19 more

Exclusion Criteria

I can understand and am willing to sign the consent form for the study.
I am on low dose or maintenance chemotherapy like hydroxyurea or TKIs.
I do not have any uncontrolled illnesses or infections.
+13 more

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Radiation and Chemotherapy

Participants undergo total marrow and lymphoid irradiation (TMLI) twice daily on days -8 to -5, receive fludarabine intravenously on days -4 to -2, and melphalan on day -2.

8 days

Transplantation

Participants undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) on day 0.

1 day

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, including assessments for graft versus host disease, infection, and immune reconstitution.

Up to 2 years
Twice weekly for 100 days, twice monthly for 6 months, then monthly or yearly

Participant Groups

The trial tests how safe and effective it is to give total marrow and lymphoid irradiation with fludarabine and melphalan before a stem cell transplant from a donor. The goal is to see if this combination can help stop cancer growth in bone marrow before the transplant.
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Treatment (TMLI, fludarabine, melphalan)Experimental Treatment4 Interventions
Participants undergo TMLI BID on days -8 to -5, and receive fludarabine IV on days -4 to -2 and melphalan on day -2. Participants then undergo alloHCT on day 0.

Fludarabine is already approved in European Union, United States, Canada for the following indications:

πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Ί Approved in European Union as Fludara for:
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
  • Mantle-cell lymphoma
  • Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Approved in United States as Fludara for:
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
  • Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
  • Stem Cell Transplant Conditioning
πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Approved in Canada as Fludara for:
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
  • Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Find a Clinic Near You

Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
City of Hope Medical CenterDuarte, CA
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

City of Hope Medical CenterLead Sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)Collaborator

References

Reduced-Intensity Conditioning with Fludarabine, Melphalan, and Total Body Irradiation for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: The Effect of Increasing Melphalan Dose on Underlying Disease and Toxicity. [2022]Disease relapse and toxicity are the shortcomings of reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). We hypothesized that adding total body irradiation (TBI) to and decreasing melphalan (Mel) from a base RIC regimen of fludarabine (Flu) and Mel would increase cytoreduction and improve disease control while decreasing toxicity. We performed a phase II trial of Flu 160 mg/m2, Mel 50 mg/m2, and TBI 400 cGy (FluMelTBI-50, n = 61), followed by a second phase II trial of Flu 160 mg/m2, Mel 75 mg/m2, and TBI 400cGy (FluMelTBI-75, n = 94) as RIC for alloHCT. Outcomes were compared with a contemporaneous cohort of 162 patients who received Flu 125 mg/m2 and Mel 140 mg/m2. Eligibility criteria were equivalent for all 3 regimens. All patients were ineligible for myeloablative/intensive conditioning. The median (range) follow-up for all patients was 51 (15 to 103) months. Day 100 donor lymphoid chimerism and transplant-related mortality, neutrophil and platelet engraftment, acute and chronic graft versus host disease incidence, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were equivalent between FluMel, FluMelTBI-50, and FluMelTBI-75. Stomatitis wasdecreased for FluMelTBI versus FluMel (P < .01). PFS for patients not in complete remission on alloHCT was improved for FluMelTBI-75 versus FluMel (P = .03). On multivariate analysis, OS (P = .05) and PFS (P = .05) were significantly improved for FluMelTBI-75 versus FluMel. FluMelTBI-75 is better tolerated than FluMel, with improved survival and disease control.
Total body irradiation, fludarabine, melphalan, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for advanced pediatric hematologic malignancies. [2013]We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of adding 9 Gy of total body irradiation (TBI), in three single daily fractions of 3 Gy, to the reduced intensity regimen of fludarabine 30 mg/m2 i.v. x 4 days and melphalan 140 mg/m2 i.v. x 1 day in advanced pediatric hematologic malignancies. Twenty-two acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), six acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and one non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients were transplanted. Of these, 13 were beyond second remission, and five had prior hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Twenty-one donors were unrelated, of which 19 were from cord blood (CB) units. Three of the eight related donors were genotypically disparate. Oral mucositis and diarrhea were the most common toxicities. Twenty-seven patients achieved neutrophil engraftment (median 16 days), and 23 had platelet engraftment (median 42 days). One patient had primary graft failure. Seven patients died of non-relapse causes in the first 100 days. With a median follow-up of 52 months, seven of 22 ALL, five of six AML, and one of one lymphoma patients are alive and in remission. The regimen of TBI, fludarabine, and melphalan allows the engraftment of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (including mismatched CB). It was fairly well tolerated in pediatric patients, even for second transplants. Its efficacy requires further evaluation.
A phase 1 trial utilizing TMI with fludarabine-melphalan in patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing second allo-SCT. [2023]Relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) remains the primary cause of treatment failure. A second SCT can result in long-term survival in a subset of patients, but the relapse rate remains high. We conducted a single-center, phase 1, modified 3 + 3 dose-escalation study of the feasibility of combining intensity-modulated total marrow irradiation (IM-TMI) with fludarabine and melphalan for conditioning. Between December 2015 and May 2020, 21 patients with relapsed hematologic disease undergoing second or greater allo-SCT were treated with IM-TMI doses of 6 Gy, 9 Gy, or 12 Gy. Dose-limiting toxicity was defined as a grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse event; mucositis was the primary dose-limiting toxicity. The median times to neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 10 and 18 days, respectively. The 1-year cumulative incidence of graft-versus-host disease was 65% (95% confidence interval CI, 38-83). The nonrelapse mortality at 2 years was 17% (95% CI, 4-39). Cumulative incidence of relapse at 2 years was 35% (95% CI, 13-58). Two-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 48% and 50%. We conclude that combining IM-TMI with fludarabine-melphalan is feasible. We recommend 12 Gy of IM-TMI with fludarabine-melphalan for second SCT, although 9 Gy may be used for older or underweight patients.
Outcomes of Fludarabine, Melphalan and Total Body Irradiation as a Reduced Intensity Conditioning Regimen in Matched Donor Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation. [2021]Fludarabine 30 mg/m2/d × 5 and melphalan 140 mg/m2 × 1 (Flu-Mel140) is a commonly used reduced-intensity conditioning regimen. We hypothesized that addition of 200cGy total body irradiation (TBI) to Flu-Mel140 may improve antitumor activity and transplant outcomes. Primary objectives was overall survival (OS) at 3 years. Secondary objectives were to assess the cumulative incidences of acute and chronic GVHD, relapse-free survival (RFS), relapse rate, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). We retrospectively evaluated outcomes of patients receiving Flu-Mel140-TBI followed by HLA-matched donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) using peripheral blood stem cells. Eighty-one patients (median age, 58 years) underwent alloSCT between January 2008 and December 2018. Thirty-one percent of patients had a prior transplant, 32% had high or very-high disease risk index, and the donor was unrelated in 70% of patients. Grade 3 to 4 regimen-related toxicities were mucositis (37%), cardiac toxicity (17%), and renal toxicity (10%). The cumulative incidence of grade III to IV acute GVHD at day +100 was 24.7% and chronic GVHD at 1 year was 51.3%. Median follow-up for survival was 6.1 years. At 3 years, OS was 39.81%, RFS was 31.47%, and relapse rate was 30.5%. One-year NRM was 29.9%. Patients undergoing first transplantation experienced improved OS compared with second or beyond (63.08% versus 42.31%, P = .02). After adjusting for disease subtypes, age (≤55 versus 55), comorbidity index (CI), number of transplant and GVHD prophylaxis, multivariable analysis did not demonstrate any survival difference among disease subtypes. High CI (≥3) was predictive of adverse OS and NRM, whereas older age (>55 years) was associated with high NRM. Our study shows that Flu-Mel140-TBI seems feasible and provides durable disease control. Addition of TBI did not appear to improve outcomes compared to previously published reports of Flu-Mel140. Considerable NRM could result from the inclusion of patients with older age and prior transplants.
Fludarabine and 2-Gy TBI is superior to 2 Gy TBI as conditioning for HLA-matched related hematopoietic cell transplantation: a phase III randomized trial. [2021]The risks and benefits of adding fludarabine to a 2-Gy total body irradiation (TBI) nonmyeloablative regimen are unknown. For this reason, we conducted a prospective randomized trial comparing 2-Gy TBI alone, or in combination with 90 mg/m(2) fludarabine (FLU/TBI), before transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells from HLA-matched related donors. Eighty-five patients with hematological malignancies were randomized to be conditioned with TBI alone (n = 44) or FLU/TBI (n = 41). All patients had initial engraftment. Two graft rejections were observed, both in the TBI group. Infection rates, nonrelapse mortality, and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were similar between groups. Three-year overall survival was lower in the TBI group (54% versus 65%; hazard ratio [HR], .57; P = .09), with higher incidences of relapse/progression (55% versus 40%; HR, .55; P = .06), relapse-related mortality (37% versus 28%; HR, .53; P = .09), and a lower progression-free survival (36% versus 53%; HR, .56; P = .05). Median donor T cell chimerism levels were significantly lower in the TBI group at days 28 (61% versus 90%; P
Comparable kinetics of myeloablation between fludarabine/full-dose busulfan and fludarabine/melphalan conditioning regimens in allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. [2013]Fludarabine was utilized in the conditioning regimen of 30 adult patients undergoing an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. In 18 patients it was combined with full-dose busulfan (FluBu) as a myeloablative regimen and in 12 cases with melphalan (FluMel) as a reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen. Patients in the FluBu group were younger than in the FluMel group (P=0.03). Of 30 patients, 24 received peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) whereas six patients in the FluBu group received bone marrow cells. The hematological toxicity of each regimen was evaluated by analyzing the kinetics of the neutropenia induced by preparative regimens and the time to recovery of the absolute neutrophils count (ANC) and platelets post transplantation. In PBSC transplants, the median day of severe neutropenia (
Acute left ventricular failure following melphalan and fludarabine conditioning. [2013]Cardiotoxicity has rarely been reported as a complication of melphalan or fludarabine administration as single agents. Recently, melphalan and fludarabine have been used in combination as non-myeloablative conditioning chemotherapy prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation. We have observed the development of severe left ventricular failure in three of 21 patients treated with this combination. Cardiotoxicity in this context has not previously been reported and has implications for the assessment, monitoring and treatment of patients undergoing pre-transplant conditioning with melphalan and fludarabine.
Regimen-related toxicity after fludarabine-melphalan conditioning: a prospective study of 31 patients with hematologic malignancies. [2013]A total of 31 consecutive patients with hematologic malignancies who were considered poor candidates for TBI underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation after conditioning with fludarabine and melphalan. A total of 25 matched sibling recipients received fludarabine 25 mg/m(2) x 5 days and melphalan 70 mg/m(2) x 2 days. For unrelated and haploidentical donor recipients, fludarabine was increased to 30 mg/m(2) and ATG 30 mg/kg x 4 days was added. Graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis consisted of tacrolimus and mini methotrexate. All patients engrafted. Regimen-related toxicity was considerable and included mainly renal, hepatic and mucosal toxicity. There were seven regimen-related-deaths including two VOD, two pulmonary, one renal, one cardiac and one mucosal toxicity. One case of fatal pulmonary toxicity death could be attributed to pre-existing pulmonary damage. Progression-free survival at 12 months was 44% (90% CI: 30-58%) for recipients of HLA-identical sibling transplants and 33% (90% CI: 21-45%) for all patients. In conclusion, the fludarabine-melphalan regimen leads to consistent engraftment. The regimen-related toxicity is considerable and cannot be explained solely by patient selection. Cardiac toxicity is emerging as a unique toxicity of this regimen. Despite toxicity, fludarabine-melphalan has considerable activity and leads to durable remission in a proportion of patients.
Dose escalation of total marrow irradiation with concurrent chemotherapy in patients with advanced acute leukemia undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. [2021]We have demonstrated that toxicities are acceptable with total marrow irradiation (TMI) at 16 Gy without chemotherapy or TMI at 12 Gy and the reduced intensity regimen of fludarabine/melphalan in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). This article reports results of a study of TMI combined with higher intensity chemotherapy regimens in 2 phase I trials in patients with advanced acute myelogenous leukemia or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (AML/ALL) who would do poorly on standard intent-to-cure HCT regimens.