The addition of sirolimus to tacrolimus/methotrexate GVHD prophylaxis in children with ALL: a phase 3 Children's Oncology Group/Pediatric Blood and Marrow …

MA Pulsipher, B Langholz, DA Wall… - Blood, The Journal …, 2014 - ashpublications.org
MA Pulsipher, B Langholz, DA Wall, KR Schultz, N Bunin, WL Carroll, E Raetz, S Gardner…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2014ashpublications.org
Sirolimus has activity against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in xenograft models and
efficacy in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). We tested whether addition
of sirolimus to GVHD prophylaxis of children with ALL would decrease aGVHD and relapse.
Patients were randomized to tacrolimus/methotrexate (standard) or tacrolimus/methotrexate/
sirolimus (experimental). The study met futility rules for survival after enrolling 146 of 259
patients. Rate of Grade 2-4 aGVHD was 31% vs 18%(standard vs experimental, P=. 04) …
Abstract
Sirolimus has activity against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in xenograft models and efficacy in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). We tested whether addition of sirolimus to GVHD prophylaxis of children with ALL would decrease aGVHD and relapse. Patients were randomized to tacrolimus/methotrexate (standard) or tacrolimus/methotrexate/sirolimus (experimental). The study met futility rules for survival after enrolling 146 of 259 patients. Rate of Grade 2-4 aGVHD was 31% vs 18% (standard vs experimental, P = .04), however, grade 3-4 aGVHD was not different (13% vs 10%, P = .28). Rates of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) were lower in the nonsirolimus arm (9% vs 21% VOD, P = .05; 1% vs 10% TMA, P = .06). At 2 years, event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 56% vs 46%, and 65% vs 55% (standard vs experimental), respectively (P = .28 and .23). Multivariate analysis showed increased relapse risk in children with ≥0.1% minimal residual disease (MRD) pretransplant, and decreased risk in patients with grades 1-3 aGVHD (P = .04). Grades 1-3 aGVHD were associated with improved EFS (P = .02), whereas grade 4 aGVHD and extramedullary disease at diagnosis led to inferior OS. Although addition of sirolimus decreased aGVHD, survival was not improved. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT00382109.
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