Autologous stem cell transplantation can prove to be safer in some instances compared with allogeneic transplantation for treating hematological malignancies, as the risk of graft-versus-host disease is eliminated. In this video, Paul Richardson, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, highlights the importance of administering lenalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (RVd), to maximize efficacy and limit toxicity. Dr Richardson discusses studies of daratumumab and milatuzumab in combination with RVd, and how high-dose melphalan, which exposes patients to high levels of alkylation, may not be the ideal treatment option for hematological malignancies, particularly with the introduction of CAR T-cell therapy. While the cost of this novel therapy may be significant, the value of effective therapy to prolong survival should be considered when evaluating its cost. This video was recorded at the 2018 European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.
Autologous transplant advances: induction and maintenance
