Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation - Blog Science Connections

404 High-Dose Melphalan in Neuroblastoma
83 PATIENTS REGISTERED
•
62 ACHIEVED CR OR CPR
•
50 RANDOMISED
NO FURTHER TREATMENT (26) HIGH DOSE MELPHALAN (2«)
18 RELAPSED 1-22 MONTHS MEDIAN 5
8 DISEASE PROGRESSION FREE 20-48 MONTHS MEDIAN 32 I
2 RELAPSED PRETREATMENT
T
22 TREATED
•
I TOXIC DEATH
•
9 RELAPSED 6-28 MONTHS MEDIAN 18
12 DISEASE PROGRESSION FREE 21-49 MONTHS MEDIAN 34
Figure 4. Summary of outcome in the two randomized groups.
survival
%
melphalan
no further treatment
T* 35—
months post randomisation
36
Figure 5. Actuarial disease progression-free survival for the two randomized groups.
eligible for randomization (i.e., achieved CR or GPR after induction chemotherapy
and surgery), but were not entered into the study. This is an almost
inevitable consequence in a study in which informed consent was sought
prior to entry, particularly where the difference between the two treatment
arms was so marked (i.e., megatherapy or no further treatment). It is of note,
however, that the patients not entered were distributed equally between those