Search

HLA-haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) is increasingly offered to patients with high-risk acute leukaemia. Unfortunately, haplo-HSCT is followed by a delayed immunoreconstitution. The aim of this EBMT registry study was to explore the clinical impact of lymphocyte subset counts after haplo-HSCT. We considered 144 leukaemic patients transplanted in the period 2001-2012. Pre-transplantation clinical variables and differential immune-cell counts (CD3, CD4, CD8 T cells, NK and B cells) measured before day 100 were evaluated for their capacity to predict overall survival, relapse mortality or non-relapse mortality (NRM). Negative prognostic factors for overall survival were advanced disease state at transplantation, host age and CMV seropositivity. Higher CD3, CD4 and CD8 counts were associated with a better overall survival and a lower NRM. Strikingly, when tested in multivariable analysis, higher CD3 and CD8 counts were still significantly associated with a lower NRM. These results indicate that an accelerated T-cell reconstitution correlates with less transplantation mortality, likely due to the protective role of T cells against viral infections. This observation suggests that CD8+ T-cell counts should be investigated as surrogate biomarkers of outcome in prospective haplo-HSCT trials.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) from related or unrelated donors may cure patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a heterogeneous group of clonal stem cell disorders. We analysed 384 elderly patients (55-69 years) with advanced MDS who received either ASCT (n=247) and were reported to The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) or a non -transplant approach (n=137) reported to the Düsseldorf registry. Besides an attempt to answer the question of "comparison", the purpose of this work is to explain the difficulties in comparing a non-transplant with a transplant cohort, when death before transplant is likely but unknown and the selection of patients for transplant is based on assumptions. It shows which methods are almost always biased and that even the most sophisticated approaches crucially rely on clinical assumptions. Using the most appropriate model for our data, we derive an overall univariate non-significant survival disadvantage for the transplant cohort (HR: 1.29, p = 0.11). We show that such an "average" hazard ratio is however misleading due to non-proportionality of the hazards reflecting early treatment related mortality, the occurring of which is logically correlated with the interval between diagnosis and transplant creating a disproportional drop in the (reconstructed) survival curve of the transplanted patients. Also in multivariate analysis (correcting for age > 60 (HR: 1.4, p = 0.02) and abnormal cytogenetics (HR: 1.46, p = 0.01)), transplantation seems to be worse (HR: 1.39, p = 0.05) but only in the (incorrect but commonly applied) model without time varying covariates. The long term (time depending) hazard ratio is shown to be virtually 1 and overall survival is virtually identical in both groups. Nonetheless no conclusion can be reached from a clinical point of view without assumptions which are by their very nature untestable unless all patients would be followed from diagnosis.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) for patients with refractory anaemia may result in a 50% event-free survival, but the high non-relapse mortality (NRM) precludes a general application of this therapeutic modality. This study evaluated the impact of various pre-transplant variables, including disease duration, intensity of the conditioning regimen, type of donor and year of transplantation on outcome. The study population consisted of 374 patients; 244 were transplanted from human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-identical siblings and 130 patients from matched unrelated donors. The median age was 39 years. One hundred and two patients were transplanted after reduced intensity conditioning (RIC). The overall 4-year survival was 52%. The 4-year survival of patients transplanted with HLA-identical sibling donors and matched unrelated donors was 52% and 50%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed an improved survival (P = 0.05) and a lower NRM (P = 0.02) when the transplantation was performed in recent years. Increasing age, and disease duration of >12 months were associated with inferior survival. RIC resulted in a similar survival despite an increased relapse risk (P = 0.02). This improved outcome permits alloSCT in patients older than 50 years of age, even with the use of matched unrelated donors. AlloSCT should be preferentially performed early after diagnosis after careful analysis of prognostic variables.

Background and Objectives: Chromosome 5 and/or 7 abnormalities are cytogenetic findings indicative of a poor prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The only potential cure for such patients is allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). As data on allogeneic SCT in this context are limited we did a retrospective study of allogeneic SCT in patients with AML or MDS who had chromosome 5 and/or 7 abnormalities., Design and Methods: This was a retrospective study of 65 patients (16 children, 49 adults) with AML (n=33) or MDS (n=32) who had chromosome 5 and/or 7 abnormalities and who underwent allogeneic SCT in six Dutch Centers between 1983 and 2001. Data on all these patients are recorded in the Netherlands Stem Cell Transplant Registry (Typhon)., Results: The 3-year overall survival rate among all patients was 25%. Patients below the age of 40 years had significantly fewer relapses (40%) and better survival (38%) than those above the age of 40 (86% and 8%, respectively). Relapses were less frequent in recipients of unrelated grafts than in those whose grafts were from HLA-identical siblings (30% versus 69%). The development of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) grades II-IV was independently associated with significantly higher transplant-related mortality (TRM). Patients with either chromosome 5 or chromosome 7 abnormalities had a significantly better survival than patients with both chromosome 5 and 7 abnormalities. These patients with poor-risk chromosome 5 and/or 7 abnormalities were compared with a group of patients with a secondary AML/MDS and normal cytogenetics and were found to have significantly more relapses and significantly worse survival but a similar TRM., Interpretation and Conclusions: We conclude that patients with AML or MDS with chromosome 5 and/or 7 abnormalities do rather poorly after allogeneic SCT, mainly because of the very high relapse rate. Nevertheless, this is the only approach that can cure some of these patients.

Summary: Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (allo‐HSCT) remains the only curative approach for Myelofibrosis (MF). Scarce information exists in the literature on the outcome and, indeed, management of those MF patients who relapse following transplant. We hereby report on the management and outcome of 202 patients who relapsed post allo‐HSCT for MF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major improvements have been made in the treatment of myeloma. However, all patients, perhaps with some exceptions, eventually relapse, even after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). In that setting, the combinations of new drugs, namely the IMiDs and the proteasome inhibitors along with steroids, give encouraging results in relapsed patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) is 20 months with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone plus ixazomib and 26 months with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone plus carfilzomib. Monoclonal antibodies have emerged as an additional new treatment option. The antibody anti-SLAMF7, elotuzumab, in combination with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone gives a median PFS of 20 months. The antibody daratumumab, targeting CD38, alone has an outstanding activity in previously heavily treated patients. Its use in combination is ongoing. Transplantation remains a major treatment option. For patients who relapse at least 18 months from the initial ASCT, a second ASCT can be performed with an expected time to progression of 19 months from the time of transplantation. For patients relapsing earlier and/or with high-risk characteristics and who are still chemosensitive, with a suitable donor, an allogeneic transplantation can be considered. The optimal treatment combination and sequence remain to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed the outcome of 563 Aplastic Anaemia ( AA) children aged 0-12 years reported to the Severe Aplastic Anaemia Working Party database of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, according to treatment received. Overall survival ( OS) after upfront human leucocyte antigen-matched family donor ( MFD) haematopoietic stem cell transplantation ( HSCT) or immunosuppressive treatment ( IST) was 91% vs. 87% ( P 0·18). Event-free survival ( EFS) after upfront MFD HSCT or IST was 87% vs. 33% ( P 0·001). Ninety-one of 167 patients (55%) failed front-line IST and underwent rescue HSCT. The OS of this rescue group was 83% compared with 91% for upfront MFD HSCT patients and 97% for those who did not fail IST up-front ( P 0·017). Rejection was 2% for MFD HSCT and HSCT post- IST failure ( P 0·73). Acute graft- versus-host disease ( GVHD) grade II- IV was 8% in MFD graft vs. 25% for HSCT post- IST failure ( P < 0·0001). Chronic GVHD was 6% in MFD HSCT vs. 20% in HSCT post- IST failure ( P < 0·0001). MFD HSCT is an excellent therapy for children with AA. IST has a high failure rate, but remains a reasonable first-line choice if MFD HSCT is not available because high OS enables access to HSCT, which is a very good rescue option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. We have analysed the outcome of 581 autologous stem cell transplants (SCT) for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in first chronic phase reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation between 1983 and 1998. Out off 207 patients evaluable for cytogenetics within 6 months of SCT, 36 patients (17%) were in complete cytogenetic remission (CCR), 34 (16%) in major remission (MCR), 74 (36%) in minor remission (mCR) and 63 (31%) had no cytogenetic response (NR). Interferon (IFN) was given post SCT to 267 patients. Results of the cytogenetic analysis within 1–2 years from SCT were available for 117 patients, the majority of whom (n = 101) received IFN post SCT: 17 (15%) were in CCR, 18 (15%) in MCR, 24 (20%) in mCR and 58 (50%) NR. The median survival in this series was 96 months (71–125) from SCT. There was no difference in survival according to cytogenetic status pre- and immediately post SCT. However, patients in CCR or MCR at 1–2 years post SCT had a 10-year survival of 66% compared with 36% for patients in mCR or NR (P = 0·003). The 5-year survival for patients receiving IFN post SCT was 72% compared with 61% for patients not treated with IFN (P = 0·01). Out of 155 patients refractory to IFN pre SCT, 70% achieved a cytogenetic response post SCT, which was complete or major in 31%. IFN refractory patients who sustained a CCR or MCR for 1–2 years after SCT had an excellent outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. We report the results of 50 allogeneic transplantations from related (n = 43) or unrelated (n = 7) donors, performed for chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) in 43 European centres. The median age at transplant was 44 years (range 19–61). Eighteen patients had excess blasts ranging from 5% to 30% at the time of transplantation. Two graft failures were observed (4%). Neutrophil (> 0·5 × 109 /l) and platelet engraftment (> 50 × 109 /l) was reached after a median of 17 d (range 11–38) and 27 d (range 11–48) respectively. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD grade II–IV was seen in 35% of patients, while 20% developed severe-acute GvHD grade III/IV. Twenty-six patients (52%) died of treatment-related causes. After a median follow-up of 40 months (range 11–110), the 5-year-estimated overall survival was 21% (95% CI: 15–27%) and the 5-year-estimated disease-free survival (DFS) was 18% (95% CI: 13–23%). Earlier transplantation in the course of disease, male donor, use of unmanipulated grafts, allogeneic transplantation and occurrence of acute GvHD favoured better DFS, but did not reach statistical significance. The 5-year estimated probability of relapse was 49%. The data showed a trend for a lower relapse probability of acute GvHD grade II–IV (24% vs 54%; P = 0·07), and for a higher relapse rate in patients with T cell-depleted grafts (62% vs 45%), suggesting a ‘graft-versus-CMML effect’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplant Research data set was used to retrospectively analyze the outcomes of hypomethylating therapy (HMA) compared with those of conventional chemotherapy (CC) before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in 209 patients with advanced myelodysplastic syndromes. Median follow-up was 22.1 months and the median age of the group was 57.6 years with 37% of the population older than > 60 years. The majority of patients (59%) received reduced-intensity conditioning and 34% and 27% had intermediate-2 and high international prognostic scoring system (IPSS) scores. At time of HSCT, 32% of patients did not achieve complete remission (CR) and 13% had primary refractory disease. On univariate analysis, outcomes at 3 years were not significantly different between HMA and CC for overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), and nonrelapse mortality (NRM): OS (42% versus 35%), RFS (29% versus 31%), CIR (45% versus 40%), and NRM (26% versus 28%). Comparing characteristics of the groups, there were more patients < 55 years old, more patients in CR (68% versus 32%), and fewer patients with primary refractory disease in the CC group than in the HMA group (10% versus 19%, P < .001). Patients with primary refractory disease had worse outcomes than those in CR with regard to OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41 to 4.13; P = .001), RFS (HR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.37 to 3.76; P = .001), and NRM (HR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.18 to 5.26; P = .016). In addition, an adverse effect of IPSS-R cytogenetic risk group was evident for RFS. In summary, outcomes after HSCT are similar for patients receiving HMA compared with those receiving CC, despite the higher proportion of patients with primary refractory disease in the HMA group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative treatment of severe congenital neutropenia (SCN), but data on outcome are scarce. We report on the outcome of 136 SCN patients who underwent HSCT between 1990 and 2012 in European and Middle East centers. The 3-year overall survival (OS) was 82%, and transplant-related mortality (TRM) was 17%. In multivariate analysis, transplants performed under the age of 10 years, in recent years, and from HLA-matched related or unrelated donors were associated with a significantly better OS. Frequency of graft failure was 10%. Cumulative incidence (day +90) of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) grade 2-4 was 21%. In multivariate analysis, HLA-matched related donor and prophylaxis with cyclosporine A and methotrexate were associated with lower occurrence of acute GVHD. Cumulative incidence (1 year) of chronic GVHD was 20%. No secondary malignancies occurred after a median follow-up of 4.6 years. These data show that the outcome of HSCT for SCN from HLA-matched donors, performed in recent years, in patients younger than 10 years is acceptable. Nevertheless, given the TRM, a careful selection of HSCT candidates should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this retrospective analysis we evaluated the outcome of 313 patients aged ≥ 70 years in the registry of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; n = 221) and secondary acute myeloid leukemia (n = 92) who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from related (n = 79) or unrelated (n = 234) donors. Median age at HSCT was 72 years (range, 70 to 78). Conditioning regimen was nonmyeloablative (n = 54), reduced intensity (n = 207), or standard intensity (n = 52). Allogeneic HSCT for MDS patients ≥ 70 years was increasingly performed over time. Although during 2000 to 2004 only 16 patients received HSCT, during 2011 to 2013 the number of transplantations increased to 181. The cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality at 1 year and relapse at 3 years was 32% and 28%, respectively, with a 3-year overall survival rate of 34%. Good performance, determined by Karnofsky performance status, and recipients' seronegativity for cytomegalovirus was associated with 3-year estimated overall survival rates of 43% ( P  = .01) and 46% ( P  = .002), respectively. Conditioning intensity did not impact survival. After careful patient selection, allogeneic HSCT can be offered to patients older than 70 years with MDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) are an effective treatment for relapsed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Leukemia resistance and secondary graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are major obstacles to success with DLI. The aim of this study was to identify pre-DLI factors associated with prolonged survival in remission without secondary GVHD. We retrospectively analyzed 500 patients treated with DLI for CML relapse (16% molecular, 30% cytogenetic, and 54% hematological) after alloSCT. The overall probabilities of failure- and secondary GVHD–free survival (FGFS) were 29% and 27% at 5 and 10 years after DLI, respectively. The type of relapse was the major factor influencing FGFS (40% for molecular and/or cytogenetic relapse and 20% for hematological relapse at 5 years, P < .001). Chronic GVHD before DLI and an interval <1 year between alloSCT and first DLI were independently associated with inferior FGFS in patients with molecular and/or cytogenetic relapse. Consequently, FGFS was 13%, 35%, to 56% at 5 years in patients with 2, 1, and 0 adverse features, respectively. In patients with hematological relapse, independent adverse prognostic factors for FGFS were initial dose of CD3 + cells ≥ 50 × 10 6 /kg, donor-recipient sex mismatch, and chronic GVHD before DLI. FGFS was 0%, 17%, 33%, to 37% in patients with 3, 2, 1, and 0 adverse features, respectively. The probability of survival in remission without secondary GVHD was highest (>50% at 5 years) when DLI were given beyond 1 year from alloSCT for molecular and/or cytogenetic CML relapse that was not preceded by chronic GVHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only curative treatment in patients with higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), but the choice of the optimal alternative stem cell source is still a subject of debate in patients lacking an HLA-matched sibling donor. Here, we report on a large series of patients with MDS (N = 631) transplanted either with mobilized peripheral stem cells (PBs) from unrelated donors (n = 502) or with umbilical cord blood transplant (UCB, n = 129) as alternative grafts after reduced-intensity conditioning. Neutrophil engraftment was higher after PB (98% versus 78%, P < .0001). Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was similar after PB (31%) and UCB (29%), and chronic GVHD incidence was higher after PB (41% versus 23%). Two-year nonrelapse mortality was lower after PB (31% versus 42% P = .03). There was a better overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) after PB (49% ± 2% versus 30% ± 4%, P < .0001 and 44% ± 2% versus 28% ± 4%, P < .0001). Multivariate analysis confirmed the advantage of PB for treatment-related mortality, OS, and DFS, whereas relative risk of chronic GVHD was similar. A multivariate analysis comparing PB from a 10/10 HLA-matched donor, PB from a 9/10 HLA-matched donor, and UCB showed an advantage on treatment-related mortality, DFS, and OS only in 10/10 PB. We conclude that in MDS patients lacking an HLA-matched sibling donor, PB from a 10/10 HLA-matched unrelated donor is the preferred source of hematopoietic stem cells. HLA-mismatched unrelated donor or cord blood seem to give similar inferior results except for neutrophil engraftment, which is delayed after UCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate results of high-dose total-body irradiation (TBI) regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Methods and Materials: A total of 1,032 patients underwent TBI in one or two fractions before autologous or allogeneic hematologic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia and non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma. The TBI regimens were normalized by using the biological effective dose (BED) concept. The BED values were divided into three dose groups. Study end points were relapse incidence (RI), non-relapse mortality (NRM), relapse-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis was performed, stratified by disease. Results: In the highest TBI dose group, RI was significantly lower and NRM was higher vs. the lower dose groups. However, a significant influence on RFS and OS was not found. Relapses in the eye region were found only after shielding to very low doses. Age was of significant influence on OS, RFS, and NRM in favor of younger patients. The NRM of patients older than 40 years significantly increased, and OS decreased. There was no influence of age on RI. Men had better OS and RFS and lower NRM. Type of transplantation significantly influenced RI and NRM for patients with acute leukemia and non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma. There was no influence on RFS and OS. Conclusions: Both RI and NRM were significantly influenced by the size of the BED of single-dose or two-fraction TBI regimens; OS and RFS were not. Age was of highly significant influence on NRM, but there was no influence of age on RI. Hyperfractionated TBI with a high BED might be useful, assuming NRM can be reduced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: 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 &y& Elsevier]

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is potentially curative therapy for patients with MDS. Prior studies have shown no overall-survival (OS) advantage of any conditioning regimen over the others. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) is usually associated with lower non-relapse mortality (NRM) compared to myeloablative conditioning (MAC), however, relapse rates are higher, resulting in similar OS. Fludarabine and treosulfan (FT) is a reduced-toxicity regimen with intense anti leukemia activity in patients with myeloid malignancies. We explored outcomes following FT conditioning in comparison with other regimens. We retrospectively analyzed SCT outcomes of MDS patients reported to the chronic malignancies working party of EBMT (n=1722). The conditioning regimens were defined according to standard EBMT criteria and included FT (n=367), RIC (n=687) or MAC (n=668). FT and RIC recipients were older than MAC recipients, median age 59, 59 and 51 years, respectively (P < 0.001). More FT recipients had untreated MDS at SCT, 45%, 26% and 36%, respectively (P < 0.001). Disease status at diagnosis, cytogenetics, secondary origin and prior transformation to AML, were not different between the regimens. With a median follow-up of 20 months (1-171), 807 patients are alive, 328 died of relapse and 587 had NRM. The 5-year rates of relapse, NRM and OS for the entire group were 21% (95%CI, 19-23), 35% (95%CI, 33-38) and 44% (95%CI, 42-437), respectively. Relapse rates were similar after FT and MAC, 16% (13-21) and 19% (16-22), respectively, significantly lower than after RIC, 25% (21-28) (P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis (MVA) identified age >55 years (HR 1.42), advanced histology (RAEB 1/2, HR 2.01/ 1.73), prior transformation to AML (HR 1.87), refractory disease to prior therapies (HR 1.75) secondary origin (HR 1.33) and poor cytogenetics (HR 2.83) as associated with higher relapse risk. FT conditioning was associated with a lower risk (HR 0.63, P = 0.006). NRM was lower after FT and RIC than after MAC, 34% (29-39), 33% (30-37) and 38% (35-40), respectively (P = 0.05). MVA identified age >55 years (HR 1.39) and MAC (HR 1.34) as associated with higher NRM, while SCT from sibling donor (HR 0.81) and in CR (HR 0.80) were associated with a lower risk. In all, 5-year OS was 50% (44-55), 43% (38-47), and 43% (39-47), after FT, RIC and MAC, respectively (Figure 1, P = 0.03). MVA identified age >55 years (HR 1.39), advanced histology (RAEB 1/2, HR 1.35/ 1.10), prior transformation to AML (HR 1.37), and poor cytogenetics (HR 1.58) as associated with lower OS. FT conditioning was associated with better OS (HR 0.79, P = 0.01). FT is associated with similar low relapse rates as MAC and similar low NRM as RIC, resulting in improved outcome over both RIC and MAC. FT might be the preferred regimen for SCT in MDS. These observations merit further study in randomized prospective trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]