INDICATIONS FOR ALLOGENEIC AND AUTOLOGOUS BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

In bone marrow transplantation (BMT) the main reason for early treatment failure is transplant-associated mortality (TAM) due to GvHD, interstitial pneumonia, veno-occlusive disease and infections. Since 1981, 84 consecutive HLA-identical BMT have been performed (13 aplastic anemia, 61 leukemia/lymphoma, 3 genetic diseases; mean age 28 [5-51] years) according to a standardized protocol designed to reduce TAM: fractionated, low dose rate irradiation; strict laminar air flow isolation plus complete intestinal decontamination; cyclosporine therapy for 4 months and CMV prophylaxis (hyperimmune plasma infusion, CMV-negative blood products). 11 patients (13%) died in TAM. Continuous complete remission was obtained in 78% of standard risk patients (n = 55) and 28% of high risk patients (n = 29). Mean observation time was 42 (3-116) months post transplantation. This result points to the necessity of a liberal indication for BMT early in the course of acute or chronic myelogenous leukemia, severe aplastic anemia and other eventually lethal hemato-oncological diseases.