No Effect of Pre-Transplant Cytarabine Consolidation on AML Transplant Outcomes

Pre-transplant cytarabine consolidation therapy has no effect on relapse, disease-free survival, and survival of adults transplanted for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR1), according to a study of 604 transplants reported to CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research). Patients were a median age of 59 years (range, 18-76) and underwent reduced-intensity or non-myeloablative transplantation. At a median follow-up of 36 months, the three-year survival was 36% in the no consolidation arm and 42% in the cytarabine consolidation arm (p=0.16). The researchers concluded that pre-transplant consolidation cytarabine does not significantly alter outcomes, and that their study results “support prompt transition to transplant as soon as morphologic CR1 is attained.”

Warlick E, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant