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Clinical Trial
. 2017 Nov-Dec;7(6):e401-e408.
doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2017.05.002. Epub 2017 May 10.

Craniospinal irradiation prior to stem cell transplant for hematologic malignancies with CNS involvement: Effectiveness and toxicity after photon or proton treatment

Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Craniospinal irradiation prior to stem cell transplant for hematologic malignancies with CNS involvement: Effectiveness and toxicity after photon or proton treatment

Jillian R Gunther et al. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2017 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Purpose/objective(s): Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) improves local control of leukemia/lymphoma with central nervous system (CNS) involvement; however, for adult patients anticipating stem cell transplant (SCT), cumulative treatment toxicity is a major concern. We evaluated toxicities and outcomes for patients receiving proton or photon CSI before SCT.

Methods and materials: We identified 37 consecutive leukemia/lymphoma patients with CNS involvement who received CSI before SCT at our institution. Photon versus proton toxicities during CSI, transplant, and through 100 days posttransplant were compared using Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Long-term neurotoxicity, disease response, and overall survival were analyzed.

Results: Thirty-seven patients (23 photon, 14 proton) underwent CSI for CNS involvement of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (49%), acute myeloblastic leukemia (22%), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (3%), chronic myelocytic leukemia (14%), lymphoma (11%), and myeloma (3%). CSI was used for consolidation (30 patients, 81%) and gross disease treatment (7 patients, 19%). Median radiation dose (interquartile range) was 24 Gy (23.4-24) for photons and 21.8 Gy (21.3-23.6) for protons (P = .03). Proton CSI was associated with lower rates of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade 1-3 mucositis during CSI (7% vs 44%, P = .03): 1 grade 3 with protons versus 5 grade 1, 3 grade 2, and 2 grade 3 with photons. During CSI, other toxicities (infection, gastrointestinal symptoms) did not differ. Allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) was used in 95% of patients, with 53% of patients in remission before SCT. Myeloablative conditioning was used for 76%. During SCT admission and 100 days post-SCT, toxicities did not differ by CSI technique. Successful engraftment occurred in 95% of patients (P = .67). Progression or death occurred for 47% of patients, with only 1 CNS relapse.

Conclusion: In our cohort, CSI offered excellent local control for CNS-involved hematologic malignancies in the pre-SCT setting. Acute mucositis occurred less frequently with proton CSI with comparable peritransplant/long-term toxicity profile, suggesting the need to further explore the benefit/toxicity profile of this technique.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Kaplan-Meier (log-rank) comparison of survival of patients treated with photon versus proton craniospinal irradiation. Photon, solid line; proton, dotted line. RT, radiation therapy.

References

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