VI Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation.pdf - Blog Science ...

HIGH DOSE THERAPY IN GERM CELL TUMORS:
THE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE
Giovanni Rosti*, Livia Albertazzi*, Lia Zornetta//, Emilia Ferrari//, Marzia
Argnani*, Loretta Sebastiani+, Amelia Tienghi* and Maurizio Marangolo*
* Medical Oncology -/ /Istituto Oncologico Romagnolo and
+ Blood Bank- Ravenna (Italy)
INTRODUCTION
Combination chemotherapy of advanced germ cell tumors is one of the few
true results in terms of cure in the last ecade in solid tumors. Seventy to Eighty
percent of the patients with metastatic disease have a durable complete response
to cisplatin-based chemotherapyNevertheless patients refractory to platinum
treatment (i.e. relapse within one month from the last dose of cisplatin) or relapsing
after previous CR still have a dismal prognosis/ 2
'
In the last few years the use of high dose chemotherapy rescued with ABMT
became an interesting approach to try to circumvent drug resistance and some
studies had been carried out in the USA and Europe. Until now, no randomized
phase III trial had been started in relapsing patients.
THE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE
ABMT in Europe is an increasing treatment option for leukemias,
lymphomas and solid tumors. In 1991,171 teams in 21 European countries performed
a total of 4,961 bone marrow transplants (2,786 autologous). The number
of registered cases of ABMT in germ cell tumors is 120, that accounts for one
fifth of all solid tumors grafting procedures in 1991