Comparison of efficacy and toxicity according to etoposide and cytarabine dosing in BEAM conditioning followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in Hodgkin lymphoma

Abstract

The combination of carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan (BEAM) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a commonly used intensification regimen for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. As etoposide and cytarabine dosing are not defined, we conducted a retrospective, multicenter study, to compare efficacy and toxicity in 130 patients with Hodgkin lymphoma receiving etoposide and cytarabine at either 200 mg/m²/d (n = 50), 400 mg/m²/d (n = 35), or etoposide 200 mg/m²/d and cytarabine 400 mg/m²/d (n = 45). Progression-free survival and overall survival were not associated with the intensity of conditioning. Increased conditioning intensity was associated with longer duration of thrombocytopenia, a higher number of transfused RBC and platelet units and a higher frequency of mucositis, but serious adverse events or infectious complications were not increased. The intensity of BEAM regimen was not associated with survival but with the rate of cytopenia and mucositis advocating for the use of lower dosing in frail patients.

Keywords:

• Hodgkin lymphoma
• autologous stem cell transplantation
• bEAM
• efficacy
• toxicity

Author contributions

V.A and O.C designed the study and wrote the paper with assistance from H.B.M and T.S.A. C.M.A, D.P and L.C.R assisted in data collection. The patient list was retrieved by P.C, L.A, L.M.A, L.G, C.N. C.M.A, D.P, L.C.R, E.M, G.T, P.C, L.A, L.M.A, L.G, C.N, F.S, H.R critically reviewed the manuscript, and approved the final version.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability

The dataset analyzed during the current study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.