RATIONALE: Melphalan, a chemotherapeutic agent, has been found to be an effective treatment choice for destroying myeloma cells, especially when given at high (bone marrow ablative) doses. Total marrow irradiation (TMI)/ablative dose radiation therapy is another modality capable of destroying myeloma cells. Autologous peripheral blood/stem cell transplant (ASCT) given after either melphalan or following TMI (aimed at the bone marrow containing areas of the skeleton, the site of origin of myeloma cells) will shorten the duration/alleviate the severity of both melphalan and marrow irradiation-associated side effects. Lenalidomide, an effective agent on its own right for the treatment of myeloma, has been shown to further enhance the beneficial effects of autologous stem cell transplants when given as maintenance therapy. PURPOSE: This previously phase I trial established the maximum tolerated dose of TMI at 1600 cGy. The phase II part of this study is ongoing and is studying the effects of high-dose melphalan and ASCT, followed by TMI and a second ASCT, with subsequent maintenance lenalidomide. The study is conducted in patients with stages I-III myeloma, with specific emphasis on assessing complete and very good partial response rate conversions, progression-free and overall survival, and safety/feasibility of delivering the planned treatment regimen.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the feasibility and toxicities of tandem cycle ablative therapy consisting first of high-dose melphalan and then escalating doses of fractionated total marrow irradiation (TMI) using helical tomotherapy in patients with advanced multiple myeloma. II. To establish the maximum tolerated dose of TMI using helical tomotherapy. III. To assess response rate, progression free and over-all survival following treatment with tandem cycle ablative therapy consisting first of high-dose melphalan and then escalating doses of TMI using helical tomotherapy with Dexamethasone/Thalidomide maintenance therapy in patients with advanced multiple myeloma. IV. To assess the feasibility of adding decadron and thalidomide as maintenance following the second cycle of high-dose therapy. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To perform cytogenetic, gene rearrangement, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies on baseline and post-treatment bone marrow and blood specimens and correlate the presence/persistence of these features with treatment outcome. II. To bank/develop cell lines developed for future investigations of tumor biology, and for potential assessment of efficacy of novel therapeutic agents. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of total marrow irradiation (TMI). PRIMING AND APHERESIS: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 2 hours. Patients also receive filgrastim IV or subcutaneously daily beginning 24 hours after the administration of cyclophosphamide and continuing until apheresis is complete. Patients undergo apheresis until an adequate number of peripheral blood stem cells are collected. ABLATIVE THERAPY: Course 1: Patients receive high-dose melphalan IV over 30 minutes on days -2 and -1. Patients then undergo autologous PBSC transplantation on day 0 and receive filgrastim IV or subcutaneously beginning on day 5 and continuing until blood counts recover. Course 2: Beginning 6-18 weeks later, patients undergo TMI once or twice daily on days -4 to -1. Patients then undergo autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant and receive filgrastim IV or subcutaneously beginning on day 5 and continuing until blood counts recover. MAINTENANCE THERAPY: Beginning within 6-8 weeks of day 0 of course 2 (TMI), patients receive oral lenalidomide daily. Courses repeat every 28 days for approximately 3 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed at 30 days, every 6 months for 1 year, and then annually for at least 2 years.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
54
Undergo irradiation
Given IV
Undergo transplantation
Given IV
Correlative studies
Correlative studies
Given IV
Undergo transplantation
Given orally
City of Hope Medical Center
Duarte, California, United States
Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD)
The highest dose tested (Total Marrow Irradiation) in which there is no treatment related mortality and none or only one patient experienced dose limited toxicity (DLT) attributable to the study drug(s), when at least six were fully treated at that dose and fully followed for toxicity. The MTD is one dose level below the lowest dose tested in which 2 or more patients experienced DLT attributable to the treatment or there was a treatment related death. At least 6 patients will be treated at the MTD.
Time frame: 8 weeks from start of treatment, up to 2 years
Number of Subjects With Response
Response defined as complete response or very good partial response. Complete response defined as the absence of bone marrow or blood findings of multiple myeloma on at least 2 measurements at a minimum of a 6 week interval. Thus all evidence of serum and urinary M-components must disappear on electrophoresis as well as by immunofixation studies. The follow-up bone marrow may not contain more than 5% plasma cells on aspiration or core biopsy and no evidence of increasing anemia. Skeletal X-rays must either show recalcification or no change in osteolytic lesions. Resolution of soft tissue plasmocytomas. Very good partial response defined as reduction of bone marrow or blood findings of multiple myeloma on at least 2 measurements at a minimum of a 6 week interval by greater than or equal to 90%.
Time frame: Evaluated after each course until completion of treatment.
Overall Survival
Estimated using the product-limit method of Kaplan and Meier. Event defined as death due to any cause.
Time frame: From date of treatment until the date of death from any cause, assessed up to 14 years
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