Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation - Blog Science Connections

Lymphoma
T. Philip and G. Spitzer, Chairmen
DR. D. HEARD: The first question is how are you going to analyze those
patients who have been randomized to chemotherapy and who may run off to
another center to have bone marrow transplantation? The center is not
cooperating in the international trial. Are they going to be excluded or are
they going to be analyzed in the chemotherapy arm?
DR. F. CHAQVIN: NO patient will be excluded from this study in the final
analysis.
DR. HEARD: Once they have been randomized?
DR. CHAUVIN: Yes, and if the patients sign an informed consent in which
they will agree to be randomized in the chemotherapy arm once they have
been randomized, they will not go for autologous bone marrow transplantation
(ABMT) before relapse.
DR. HEARD: Well, I mean they might sign the consent form, but they may
change their minds later on and go to a different center. It brings up an issue
that happens all the time—when someone gets treated on the opposite arm
from which they were originally randomized.
DR. G. SPITZER: Well if it happens, it is going to be a very, very rare event.
DR. CHAUVIN: The point 1 want to emphasize is that we are really
convinced, among the participants, that this randomized study should be
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