Prospective Phase 2 Study of Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation in Adult Acute Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Almost comparable transplantation outcomes have been reported with HLA-matched unrelated donor transplantation (UDT) and cord blood transplantation (CBT). We conducted a prospective phase 2 study to assess the efficacy and safety of single-unit myeloablative CBT in adult leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Because the day 180 survival of UDT was approximately 80%, we determined the alternative hypothesis of expected day 180 survival with a successful engraftment rate of 80% and set the null hypothesis of threshold rate at 65%. Sixty-two patients (median age, 37 years) were registered, including 28 with acute myelogenous leukemia, 25 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and 9 with myelodysplastic syndrome. Of 61 eligible patients, 52 were successfully engrafted and survived at day 180 (85%; 95% confidence interval, 74% to 93%). Single-unit CBT was judged to be effective because the null hypothesis was rejected (P.001). Furthermore, neutrophil engraftment was observed in 57 patients (92%); the incidences of grade II-IV acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease were 30% and 32%, respectively; and the cumulative incidences of nonrelapse mortality and relapse at 2 years were 18% and 13%, respectively. The present study showed favorable survival outcomes with single-unit CBT. Therefore, this method may be considered if a well-HLA-matched UDT cannot be obtained.