Antileukemic and long-term effects of two regimens with or without TBI in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Between September 1986 and June 1997, 24 children with high-risk ALL in CR1 were allografted after TAM (fractionated TBI, high-dose Ara-C, and melphalan; n = 10) or BAM protocol (busulfan, high-dose Ara-C, and melphalan; n = 14). The EFS for transplants from sibling donors was 33% with TAM and 62% with BAM (P = 0.148). The probability of acute GvHD was 70% with TAM and 15% with BAM (P = 0.003). Four of 17 evaluable patients relapsed: one after TAM and three after BAM. In all, 46 other children transplanted in CR beyond CR1 were studied for sequelae. Long-term side effects were more frequent in TAM vs BAM. In children with ALL, busulfan may be a good alternative to TBI to improve the quality of life.