Autologous stem cell transplantation versus chemotherapy for adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first remission: the BGMT Group experience.

The BGMT 87 study was designed to compare prospectively Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation (AlloBMT), Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) and Chemotherapy (CT). Of the patients who could not undergo AlloBMT and were still in remission after two cycles of intensive CT were randomized for ASCT (n = 39) or CT (n = 38). The actuarial risk of relapse was 48.7 +/- 8.8% (95% ci) in the ASCT group and 61.1 +/- 8.4% (95% ci) in the CT group (p = NS). The estimated chance of surviving without disease at three years was similar in both groups (48.3 +/- 8.5% versus 38.9 +/- 8.4; p = NS).