Increased Risk of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Obstructive Bronchiolitis, and Alopecia With Busulfan Versus Total Body Irradiation: Long-Term Results of a Randomized Trial in Allogeneic Marrow Recipients With Leukemia

Leukemic patients receiving marrow from HLA-identical sibling donors were randomized to treatment with either busulfan 16 mg/kg (n = 88) or total body irradiation ([TBI] n = 79) in addition to cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg. The patients were observed for a period of 5 to 9 years. Busulfan-treated patients had an increased risk of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver (12% v 1%, P  = .01) and hemorrhagic cystitis (32% v 10%, P  = .003). Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was similar in the two groups, but the 7-year cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was 59% in the busulfan-treated group versus 47% in the TBI group ( P  = .05). Death from GVHD was more common in the busulfan group (22% v 3%, P  < .001). Obstructive bronchiolitis occurred in 26% of the busulfan patients but in only 5% of the TBI patients ( P  < .01). Complete alopecia developed in 8 busulfan patients and partial alopecia in 17, versus five with partial alopecia in the TBI group ( P  < .001). Cataracts occurred in 5 busulfan-treated patients and 16 TBI patients ( P  = .02). The incidence of relapse after 7 years was 29% in both groups. Seven-year transplant-related mortality (TRM) in patients with early disease was 21% in the busulfan group and 12% in the TBI group. In patients with more advanced disease, the corresponding figures were 64% and 22%, respectively ( P  = .004). Leukemia-free survival (LFS) in patients with early disease was 68% in busulfan-treated patients and 66% in TBI patients. However, 7-year LFS in patients with more advanced disease was 17% in the busulfan group versus 49% in the TBI group ( P  < .01). In patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in first chronic phase, 7-year LFS was 72% and 83% in the two groups, respectively.