For Immediate Release
December 9, 2007 at 6:00 pm

BUFFALO, NY – Theresa E. Hahn, PhD, Department of Medicine, at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, will present the results of the first study evaluating regimen-related toxicity (RRT) after autologous and related and unrelated allogeneic blood and marrow transplantation (BMT), at the 49^th Annual Meeting & Exposition of the American Society of Hematology, December 9, at 6:00 pm*, in the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA.

BMT is used to cure leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma; however, the therapy can be associated with high levels of toxicity. “Mortality due to conditioning regimen-related toxicity has decreased over the past decade,” notes Dr. Hahn, “but non-fatal toxicity still a major limitation for both autologous and allogeneic BMT.”

This current study expands on the single-site study by Dr. Hahn, in collaboration with Christine B. Ambrosone, PhD (Epidemiology/ Prevention), and Philip L. McCarthy, Jr., MD (Medicine) at Roswell Park, that found that the genetic makeup of patients can predict who develops toxicity following the high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation given prior to BMT, and whether their toxicity is likely to be moderate, severe or fatal.

The research team performed a genotype analysis of blood and bone marrow samples from 203 additional BMT patients treated at an international center in a multi-site study to confirm whether the presence or absence of two glutathione-S-transferase isoenzymes could predict which patients would develop toxicity.

“These enzymes detoxify many chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation,” explains Dr. Hahn. “Genotype analysis demonstrated that genetic variability affecting the activity of these enzymes in both autologous and related and unrelated allogeneic BMT subgroups of patients can predict which patients will develop toxicity.” This finding has the potential to improve outcomes by allowing individualized conditioning regimens.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania, and in China. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

*Dr. Hahn’s presentation (Abstract 1982) will be part of a Poster Session titled “Transplantation Regimen Toxicities and Engraftment I,” December 9, 6:00-8:00 pm.

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