Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation - Blog Science Connections

A Phase II Study of a New Cytoreductive
Conditioning Regimen With Autologous
Bone Marrow Transplantation for
Lymphomas: The BEAM Protocol
Pierre Biron, Anthony Goldstone, Philippe Columbat,
Jean-Philipe Laporte, Dominique Maraninchi,
Françoise Mornex, Robert Souhami,
and Thierry Philip
Since the initial report by Appelbaum et al. (1) of high-dose chemotherapy
followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in patients with
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), this procedure has been applied extensively.
Most conditioning regimens were derived from the initial BACT
combination (BCNCJ [carmustine], aracytine [cytarabine], cyclophosphamide,
thioguanine). The carmustine dosage was increased in the Institut
Qustave-Roussy's BACT modification (2) or replaced by CCNCJ (lomustine) in
the TACC regimen (thioguanine, aracytine [cytarabine], CCNCJ, cyclophosphamide)
(3). At present there is no convincing evidence of the superiority of
any single conditioning regimen for any subtype of lymphoma (4). In
particular, no statistically significant differences were identified until now
between patients treated with chemotherapy or with chemoradiotherapy
conditioning regimens, although legitimate doubt remains about the ablative
potential of regimens lacking an irradiation component. The current
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