New Research Challenges ASCT Sequencing in Refractory AML

Johannes Schetelig, MD, MSc, discusses the sequencing of allogeneic stem cell transplant to achieve the best response in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Schetelig participated in a debate on this subject at the SOHO 2023 Annual Meeting.

Transcript:

0:07 | It used to be an accepted standard of care to offer salvage chemotherapy with a goal to achieve a remission protocol transplantation. This standard of care is, I would say, challenged by the data which we present because we show, which is that it doesn't deliver any benefit to the patient. But so far, it is a standard, which at the same time is a standard nobody likes because we do know that, at maximum, 50% of the patients benefit in terms of achieving a [complete response], which is what we want to achieve.

0:52 | In other words, 50% of the patients don't achieve what we want to achieve with a salvage chemotherapy they just have side effects. So, it is an undesired standard. And this standard has been challenged by the data from the ASAP trial. And especially even those patients were who have achieved a complete response after salvage chemotherapy, we don't see an indication in the data that they benefit from having achieved this car it essentially is just a kind of biomarker if you use chemotherapy and demonstrate that the disease is chemotherapy sensitive, then you know that this is a better risk disease than disease which is not chemo sensitive. So, offering chemotherapy just gives us information on the disease risk of this very disease.