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Allografting

EPOCH-F: a novel salvage regimen for multiple myeloma before reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic SCT

Abstract

There exists a need for effective salvage regimens for multiple myeloma patients being considered for reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (RI-alloHSCT). We developed EPOCH-F, a regimen consisting of infusional etoposide, VCR and adriamycin with prednisone, CY and fludarabine to achieve both tumor control and host lymphocyte depletion to facilitate engraftment before RI-alloHSCT. In all, 22 multiple myeloma patients were treated with EPOCH-F before RI-alloHSCT. The median age was 53 years (range 36–65), and the median number of previous therapies was 2 (range 1–8). Patients received a median of three cycles (range 1–5) of EPOCH-F. Toxicities were primarily hematologic and manageable. Median lymphocyte counts decreased from 1423/μL (range 335–2788) to 519/μL (range 102–1420; P=0.0002). The overall response (PR) to EPOCH-F was 22 with 13% achieving a CR/near-complete response (nCR); only 1 patient progressed while on therapy. A total of 20 patients underwent RI-alloHSCT. Median day +100 donor chimerism was 100% (range 60–100). In all, 70% of patients achieved very good partial response or better response after transplant; 40% of patients achieved CR/nCR. TRM at 100 days and 5 years was 5 and 30%, respectively. Median OS after RI-alloHSCT was 46.1 months. EPOCH-F provides disease control and host lymphocyte depletion with consistent full donor engraftment in multiple myeloma patients undergoing RI-alloHSCT.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH.

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Correspondence to M R Bishop.

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Jamshed, S., Fowler, D., Neelapu, S. et al. EPOCH-F: a novel salvage regimen for multiple myeloma before reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant 46, 676–681 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2010.173

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