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Molecular genetics may influence outcome for patients with myelofibrosis. To determine the impact of molecular genetics on outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, we screened 169 patients with primary myelofibrosis (n = 110), post-essential thrombocythemia/polycythemia vera myelofibrosis (n = 46), and myelofibrosis in transformation (n = 13) for mutations in 16 frequently mutated genes. The most frequent mutation was JAK2V617F (n = 101), followed by ASXL1 (n = 49), calreticulin (n = 34), SRSF2 (n = 16), TET2 (n = 10), U2AF1 (n = 11), EZH2 (n = 7), MPL (n = 6), IDH2 (n = 5), IDH1 (n = 4), and CBL (n = 1). The cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) at 1 year was 21% and of relapse at 5 years 25%. The 5-year rates progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were and 56%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis CALR mutation was an independent factor for lower NRM (HR, .415; P = .05), improved PFS (HR, .393; P = .01), and OS (HR, .448; P = .03). ASXL1 and IDH2 mutations were independent risk factors for lower PFS (HR, 1.53 [P = .008], and HR, 5.451 [P = .002], respectively), whereas no impact was observed for "triple negative" patients. Molecular genetics, especially CALR, IDH2, and ASXL1 mutations, may thus be useful to predict outcome independently from known clinical risk factors after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for myelofibrosis., (Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the sole curative option for myelofibrosis. Many transplantation recipients receive a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen owing to age or comorbidities; however, there is little published evidence to guide the choice of RIC regimen. In this study, we compared outcomes in patients who received 1 of 2 frequently used RIC regimens for patients with myelofibrosis: fludarabine-busulfan (FB) and fludarabine-melphalan (FM). A total of 160 patients underwent a RIC allograft procedure (FB group, n = 105; FM group, n = 55). We have developed a complex statistical model involving weighting and adjustment to permit comparison between these 2 groups. After weighting, the incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 62% in the FM group and 31% in the FB group (P = .001), and the corresponding incidence of chronic GVHD was 49% and 53%, respectively. The 7-year progression-free survival was were 52% in the FM group versus 33% in the FB group, and the 7-year overall survival rate 52% in the FM group versus 59% in the FB group. Nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 43% in the FM group and 31% in the FB group. Multivariable analyses revealed no significant differences in PFS between the 2 groups; however, the relapse rate was significantly lower in the FM group (hazard ratio, 9.21; P = .008), whereas a trend toward reduced NRM was seen in the FB group (hazard ratio, 0.51; P = .068). In conclusion, both regimens appear to be efficient in mediating disease control and can be used to successfully condition patients with myelofibrosis. The FM regimen appears to induce more NRM than the FB regimen, but with augmented control of disease, leading to comparable overall survival rates for both regimens., (Copyright © 2016 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The only curative therapy for primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). However, although we know that patients can benefit from ASCT, we do not know the extent of the changes of the expression profile of cytokines and matrix modulation factors. In this first systematic analysis, we evaluated the expression profile of 103 factors before and after transplantation to identify potential biomarkers. The expression of fibrosis-, inflammation-, and angiogenesis-associated genes was analyzed in a total of 52 bone marrow biopsies: PMF patients (n = 14) before and after ASCT and, for control purposes, post-ASCT multiple myeloma patients (n = 14) and non-neoplastic hematopoiesis (n = 10). In post-ASCT PMF cases, decreased expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) and platelet-derived growth factor alpha (PDGFA) correlated with bone marrow remodeling and hematological remission. Expression of several other matrix factors remained at high levels and may contribute to post-ASCT remodeling. This is the first systematic analysis of cytokine expression in post-ASCT PMF bone marrow that shows that normalization of bone marrow microenvironment is paralleled by decreased expression of TIMP and PDGFA., (Copyright © 2016 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We correlate regression of bone marrow fibrosis (BMF) on day 30 and 100 after dose- reduced allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) in 57 patients with primary or post-essential thrombocythemia/polycythemia vera myelofibrosis with graft function and survival. The distribution of International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) risk score categories was 1 patient with low risk, 5 patients with intermediate-1 risk, 18 patients with intermediate-2 risk, and 33 patients with high risk. Before allo-SCT, 41 patients (72%) were classified as XXX [myclofibrosis (MF)]-3 and 16 (28%) were classified as MF-2 according to the World Health Organization criteria. At postengraftment day +30 (±10 days), 21% of the patients had near-complete or complete regression of BMF (MF-0/-1), and on day +100 (±20 days), 54% were MF-0/-1. The 5-year overall survival rate at day +100 was 96% in patients with MF-0/-1 and 57% for those with MF-2/-3 (P = .04). There was no difference in BMF regression at day +100 between IPSS high-risk and low/intermediate-risk patients. Complete donor cell chimerism at day +100 was seen in 81% of patients with MF-0/-1 and in 31% of those with MF-2/-3. Patients with MF-2/-3 at day +100 were more likely to be transfusion-dependent for either RBCs (P = .014) or platelets (P = .018). Rapid BMF regression after reduced-intensity conditioning allo-SCT resulted in a favorable survival independent of IPSS risk score at transplantation., (Copyright © 2014 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We retrospectively analyzed outcomes of a CD34(+)-selected stem cell boost (SCB) without prior conditioning in 32 patients (male/22; median age of 54 years; range, 20 to 69) with poor graft function, defined as neutrophils ≤1.5 x 10(9)/L, and/or platelets ≤30 x 10(9)/L, and/or hemoglobin ≤8.5 g/dL). The median interval between stem cell transplantation and SCB was 5 months (range, 2 to 228). The median number of CD34(+) and CD3(+) cells were 3.4 x 10(6)/kg (.96 to 8.30) and 9 x 10(3)/kg body weight (range, 2 to 70), respectively. Hematological improvement was observed in 81% of patients and noted after a median of 30 days (range, 14 to 120) after SCB. The recipients of related grafts responded faster than recipients of unrelated grafts (20 versus 30 days, P = .04). The cumulative incidence of acute (grade II to IV) and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after SCB was 17% and 26%, respectively. Patients with acute GVHD received a higher median CD3(+) cell dose. The 2-year probability of overall survival was 45%. We suggest that SCB represents an effective approach to improve poor graft function post transplantation, but optimal timing of SCB administration, anti-infective, and GVHD prophylaxis needs further evaluation., (Copyright © 2014 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Transformed acute myeloid leukemia in myelofibrosis results in a median survival of less than 5 months. We identified 46 of 1048 myelofibrosis patients in the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation registry who received allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia evolving from myelofibrosis. The cumulative incidence of treatment-related mortality at 1 year was 28% (95% confidence interval, 14 to 42) and of relapse at 3 years was 47% (95% confidence interval, 31 to 63). The 3-year progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 26% and 33%, respectively. The only significant factor for survival was complete remission versus no complete remission before transplantation (69% versus 22%, P = .008); however, complete remission was achieved only in 8 patients. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation can cure myelofibrosis patients transformed to leukemia., (Copyright © 2014 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Within a prospective protocol, the incidence and impact of achievement of molecular remission (mCR) and high-risk cytogenetics was investigated in 73 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) after autologous (auto)-allogeneic (allo) tandem stem cell transplantation (SCT). After induction chemotherapy, patients received melphalan 200 mg/m(2) before undergoing auto-SCT, followed 3 months later by melphalan 140 mg/m(2) and fludarabine 180 mg/m(2) before allo-SCT. Sixteen patients had high-risk cytogenetic features, defined by positive FISH for del(17p13) and/or t(4;14). Overall, 66% of the patients achieved CR or near-CR, and 41% achieved mCR, which was sustained negative (at least 4 consecutive samples negative) in 15 patients (21%), with no significant difference in incidence between the patients with high-risk cytogenetics and others (P = .70). After a median follow-up of 6 years, overall 5-year progression-free survival was 29%, with no significant difference between del 17p13/t(4;14)-harboring patients and others (24% versus 30%; P = .70). The 5-year progression-free survival differed substantially according to the achieved remission: 17% for partial remission, 41% for CR, 57% for mCR, and 85% for sustained mCR. These results suggest that auto-allo tandem SCT may overcome the negative prognostic effect of del(17p13) and/or t(4;14) and that achievement of molecular remission resulted in long-term freedom from disease., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.)