Bone Marrow Transplantation For Leukemia Research Articles

The role of the immune system in anti-tumour responses. Potential for drug therapy.

In the last 5 years significant progress has been made in our understanding of the molecular nature of anti-tumour T cell-mediated responses. This review describes the involvement of the cellular immune system in the recognition and destruction of cancer cells. Four aspects are discussed: (i) the generalized immune activation induced by the systemic administration of cytokines, in particular, interleukin-2; (ii) the specific T cell-mediated reactions against tumour cells through the recognition of tumour-associated molecules, 1) and tyrosinase proteins described in melanomas, and minor histocompatibility antigens in the setting of allogenic bone marrow transplantation for leukaemia; (iii) the potentially significant but still hypothetical immune-mediated recognition of molecules either tumour-associated or transformation-related (including altered oncogenic proteins); and (iv) the role of co-stimulatory molecules in the induction of tumour-specific immunity. The current and future therapeutic applications in cancer treatment and potential limitations in this approach are discussed.

Mechanism and management of treatment-related gonadal failure in recipients of high dose chemoradiotherapy

For the last two decades, the use of bone marrow transplantation for leukaemia, and most recently for lymphomas and other cancers, has increased dramatically and all of the systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy used in these patients has a potential for causing infertility. This review describes the normal reproductive function of relevance to patients at risk of chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-induced infertility. The mechanism by which fertility may be affected by these agents is also described and therapeutic strategies for reducing or preventing these problems are outlined. The treatment of men and women who are infertile after chemotherapy or radiotherapy is addressed, as are the ethical and legal aspects of assisted fertilization.

Bone marrow transplantation for leukaemia: a lame stalking horse for use of high-technology medical care

Bone marrow transplantation for leukaemia: a lame stalking horse for use of high-technology medical care

Persistence of Host-Type Hematopoiesis After Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation for Leukemia Is Significantly Related to the Recipient’s Age and/or the Conditioning Regimen, But it Is Not Associated With an Increased Risk of Relapse

AbstractWe investigated the chimerism pattern within flow-sorted peripheral blood- or bone marrow-derived cell populations after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for the treatment of leukemia in children. This study was performed to define the identity of persistent host-type cells, to identify prognostic variables for the persistence of host-type hematopoiesis, and to determine the prognostic significance of the chimerism pattern on the duration of the leukemia-free interval, the overall survival, and the leukemia-free survival. The patients received either HLA-identical non—T-cell-de-pieted (n = 46) or HLA nonidentical T-cell-depleted (n = 7) BMT. In the peripheral blood, the children showed either stable mixed chimerism (SMC; ie, persistent host-type hematopoiesis; n = 14), (transient) mixed T-lymphoid chimerism (MTLC; n = 9), or complete chimerism (CC; n = 30). In the bone marrow, only donor-type cells were found in children with either CC (n = 8) or MTLC (n = 2), and a mixture of donor- and recipient-type cells was found in children with SMC (n = 7). The persistence of host-type hematopoiesis (SMC) was significantly related to a lower age of the recipient, the type of conditioning regimen, a lower total body irradiation dose, T-cell depletion of the bone marrow graft, and the use of cyclosporine A for acute graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. No significant differences were found between patients with (SMC) or without (CC/MTLC) persistent host-type hematopoiesis with respect to the duration of the leukemia-free interval, the overall survival, or the leukemia-free survival. We conclude that ablation of host-type hematopoiesis is not compulsory for long-term leukemia-free survival after allogeneic BMT for various hematologic malignancies.

Bone marrow transplantation in leukemia.

Bone marrow transplants are increasingly being used as treatment for leukemia. Several IBMTR studies have identified variables predicting outcome in allogeneic transplants. These studies have also identified factors like GVL that increase our understanding of leukemia treatment. Following the success of HLA-identical sibling transplants, allografts from related and unrelated donors are now performed frequently and achieve long-term LFS. The use of autologous transplants, with and without marrow treatment, is also increasing and continues to be investigated as an alternative therapy for leukemia.

Outcome After Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant for Leukemia in Older Adults

To determine whether age over 40 years is associated with adverse outcome after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukemia. A retrospective analysis of outcome after bone marrow transplants for leukemia reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR) among recipients 30 through 39 years, 40 through 44 years, 45 through 49 years, and 50 years of age and older. Transplantations performed in 138 institutions worldwide and reported to the IBMTR. A total of 2180 recipients of HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants for leukemia, divided into four cohorts based on age: 30 through 39 years (n = 1282), 40 through 44 years (n = 527), 45 through 49 years (n = 291), and 50 years and older (n = 80). Incidence of leukemia-free survival, graft-vs-host disease, and relapse was comparable among the four age cohorts. Patients with advanced leukemia aged 45 years or older had a slightly higher risk of treatment-related mortality, and the 45- through 49-year-old cohort had a higher risk of interstitial pneumonia. These data indicate that among leukemia patients over 30 years of age at the time of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, increasing age into the fifth decade does not adversely affect outcome after transplants from HLA-identical siblings.

Outcome after allogeneic bone marrow transplant for leukemia in older adults

Outcome after allogeneic bone marrow transplant for leukemia in older adults

Short-term endocrine consequences of total body irradiation and bone marrow transplantation in children treated for leukemia

We studied 24-h hormone profiles and hormonal responses to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia prospectively in 23 children of similar age and pubertal stage, nine of whom had received prior cranial irradiation (group 1) and fourteen of whom had not (group 2), before and 6-12 months after total body irradiation (TBI) for bone marrow transplantation in leukaemia. Fourier transformation demonstrated that group 1 children had a faster periodicity of GH secretion before TBI than group 2 children (160 vs 200 min) but the amplitude of their GH peaks was similar. There were no differences between the groups in circadian cortisol rhythm, serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), sex steroids and basal thyroxine (T4). The peak serum GH concentrations observed after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia were similar between the two groups but the majority of patients had blunted responses. TBI increased the periodicity of GH secretion in both groups (group 1 vs group 2; 140 vs 180 min), but the tendency to attenuation of amplitude was not significant. There were no significant changes in the peak serum GH concentration response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia which remained blunted. Serum IGF-I, sex steroid, cortisol or T4 concentrations were unchanged. Low-dose cranial irradiation has an effect on GH secretion affecting predominantly frequency modulation leading to fast frequency, normal amplitude GH pulsatility. This change is accentuated by TBI. In patients with leukemia, there is a marked discordance between the peak serum GH response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia compared with the release of GH during 24-h studies, irrespective of the therapeutic regimen used.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Graft failure after T cell depleted HLA identical allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: risk factors in leukemic patients.

In a retrospective analysis of T cell depleted bone marrow transplantation, we have looked at different parameters in order to determine risk-factors of graft-failure after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukemia. Fifty-one patients with acute leukemia or chronic myeloid leukemia have been analysed. For 33 of them, the pretransplant conditioning regimen consisted of fractionated total body irradiation (TBI) at 12 Gy prior to cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg). The other patients received various reinforced preparative regimens. T-cell depletion consisted of treating marrow cells with pan-T monoclonal antibodies (CD2+CD3 or CD2-CD5-CD7) followed by complement mediated cytolysis. No post-transplant immunosuppressive prophylaxis was administered except for the first nine patients who received Methotrexate alone. In this group of 51 patients, 12 died within 3 months from graft-related complications and 10 developed graft failure (no engraftment or rejection). Among the possible risk factors associated with this failure, two graft-related parameters appeared significant: the number of CFU-GM progenitors and the number of viable T cells injected with the marrow inoculum. No correlation with graft failure was found with other parameters including diagnosis, disease status at transplant, conditioning regimen, age, sex, and CMV status of donor/host pairs. However, the interpretation must remain cautious because of the relatively small samples in each group.

Changing Trends in Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation for Leukemia in the 1980s

To identify changes in practice and outcome of bone marrow transplants for leukemia in the 1980s. Comparison of key explanatory and outcome variables in five 2-year cohorts, from 1980 through 1981 to 1988 through 1989, using a large database of detailed clinical information. Recipients (7788) of bone marrow transplants for acute lymphoblastic, acute myelogenous, or chronic myelogenous leukemia reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry, Milwaukee, Wis, by 185 transplant teams worldwide. Linear increases occurred during the periods 1980 through 1981 to 1988 through 1989 as follows with 95% confidence intervals: (1) transplants for chronic myelogenous leukemia from 14% +/- 2% to 35% +/- 2%; (2) transplants from unrelated donors from 1% +/- 1% to 7% +/- 1%; (3) preparative regimens without radiation from 3% +/- 1% to 30% +/- 2%; and (4) use of methotrexate plus cyclosporine to prevent graft-vs-host disease from 2% +/- 1% to 55% +/- 2%. Among recipients of human lymphocyte antigen-identical sibling bone marrow, the 2-year probability of treatment-related mortality decreased by 6% to 22%. The probability of relapse decreased from 46% +/- 6% to 38% +/- 6% in intermediate leukemia but did not change appreciably in early or advanced leukemia. Probabilities of leukemia-free survival improved from 51% +/- 4% to 57% +/- 3% in early leukemia, from 28% +/- 4% to 36% +/- 5% in intermediate leukemia, and from 12% +/- 4% to 18% +/- 5% in advanced leukemia. A separate analysis of a homogenous population of patients indicated that improvements in outcome in the 1980s were due to improvements in transplant practice rather than improved patient selection. Modest increases in leukemia-free survival rates occurred after human lymphocyte antigen-identical sibling bone marrow transplants in the 1980s. Improvements were due primarily to reductions in treatment-related mortality with little or no change in relapse risk. More effective antileukemia strategies and continued reductions in treatment-related toxic effects are needed.

Changing trends in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukemia in the 1980s

Changing trends in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukemia in the 1980s

PHARMACODYNAMIC STUDIES OF CYCLOSPORINE IN MARROW TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

We investigated the correlation between trough cyclosporine concentration in plasma measured by polyclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) and polyclonal radioimmunoassay (RIA) or in whole blood measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the risk of renal dysfunction or acute graft-versus-host disease in 29 patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukemia. The FPIA and RIA values were highly correlated (r = 0.93) and on the average CsA concentrations measured by FPIA were 1.56 times higher than those measured by RIA. Ten patients developed renal dysfunction and 10 developed grades II-IV acute GVHD. Although univariate analysis showed that plasma CsA concentrations measured by either FPIA or RIA were significantly correlated with renal dysfunction, the association was stronger with FPIA. Plasma CsA concentrations measured by FPIA but not RIA remained a significant risk factor for renal dysfunction in a multivariate relative risk model. Amphotericin therapy was significantly associated with renal dysfunction in the univariate analysis but not in the multivariate analysis. No significant associations were found between whole blood CsA or CsA M1 concentration, patients' age, gender, or CsA dose and the risk of renal dysfunction. None of the covariates analyzed significantly correlated with the development of acute GVHD. These data suggest that plasma CsA concentrations measured by nonspecific assays may more accurately correlate with renal dysfunction than whole-blood CsA concentrations measured by HPLC in marrow transplant recipients.

Should HLA-Identical Sibling Bone Marrow Transplants for Leukemia Be Restricted to Large Centers?

There is substantial evidence that the volume of medical procedures in a hospital has an inverse relationship with mortality. We analyzed data for 1313 recipients of HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants for early leukemia (acute leukemia in first remission or chronic myelogenous leukemia in first chronic phase) to determine whether transplant outcome differed in small and large centers. Transplants were performed in 86 bone marrow transplant centers active between the years 1983 and 1988, which participated in the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry. Twenty-one (24%) centers performed five or fewer allogeneic transplants per year during the study period; five (6%) performed more than 40 per year. After adjustment for differences in patient and disease characteristics, the relative risks of treatment-related mortality (1.53, P less than .01) and treatment failure (1.38, P less than .04) were higher among patients who received transplants at centers doing five or fewer transplants per year than among those at larger centers. Among patients receiving transplants in centers performing more than five transplants a year, there was no statistically significant correlation between number of transplants and outcome.

Should HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants for leukemia be restricted to large centers? [see comments

There is substantial evidence that the volume of medical procedures in a hospital has an inverse relationship with mortality. We analyzed data for 1313 recipients of HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants for early leukemia (acute leukemia in first remission or chronic myelogenous leukemia in first chronic phase) to determine whether transplant outcome differed in small and large centers. Transplants were performed in 86 bone marrow transplant centers active between the years 1983 and 1988, which participated in the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry. Twenty-one (24%) centers performed five or fewer allogeneic transplants per year during the study period; five (6%) performed more than 40 per year. After adjustment for differences in patient and disease characteristics, the relative risks of treatment- related mortality (1.53, P less than .01) and treatment failure (1.38, P less than .04) were higher among patients who received transplants at centers doing five or fewer transplants per year than among those at larger centers. Among patients receiving transplants in centers performing more than five transplants a year, there was no statistically significant correlation between number of transplants and outcome.

Growth in children after bone marrow transplantation for advanced neuroblastoma compared with growth after transplantation for leukemia or aplastic anemia

The linear growth of 26 children with progressive and advanced neuroblastoma treated with high-dose chemotherapy, total body irradiation, and bone marrow transplantation between 1978 and 1988 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was compared with the growth of 33 children who had transplants for leukemia and of 12 who had transplants for aplastic anemia. The mean growth velocity, expressed as a standard deviation score, for the children who underwent bone marrow transplantation for neuroblastoma was -2.83. This was significantly (p less than 0.005) less than the standard deviation scores for children with transplants for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, and aplastic anemia, which were -0.98, -0.07, and -1.05, respectively. A 6-year follow-up study of 32 long-term survivors of cancer revealed that the 11 patients with neuroblastoma continued to grow poorly, whereas a comparison group of 21 survivors of bone marrow transplantation for leukemia had essentially normal growth 2 years after the procedure. Major therapeutic differences between the two groups included the doses of local radiotherapy and the type and number of cytotoxic agents used. In comparison with the relatively mild growth-inhibiting effects of preparative regimens for leukemia and aplastic anemia, the very intensive preparative regimens used in patients with neuroblastoma have significant negative effects on growth.

Donor alloreactivity may predict acute graft-versus-host disease in HLA-matched bone marrow transplantation for leukemia in early remission.

The pretransplant alloantigen-dependent responding and stimulating capacity of donors and of recipients was studied retrospectively, in a study of prediction of acute graft-versus-host disease. Donor responding capacity (DRC) and host stimulating capacity (HSC) were defined by mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) and normalized by help of the pool response. High and low DRC and strong and weak HSC was defined by distribution plots. Kaplan-Meier estimates of the risk of developing Grade II or higher aGvHD showed that first remission patients (N = 125) had a significantly different risk if transplanted with marrow from a donor with high (N = 54) or low (N = 71) DRC (chi 2 = 9.49; d.f. = 1; p less than 0.002). This was not the case for patients transplanted in later remissions. Host SC status had no significant influence on the aGvHD status (chi 2 = 1.75 and 2.40; d.f. = 1; p = 0.19 and 0.12, defined by normal controls A and B respectively). In conclusion, the results indicate that pretransplant donor alloreactivity may predict aGvHD, confirming the results from a Scandinavian study. The results need to be confirmed in prospective studies of alloreactivity as risk factor for aGvHD.

Down regulation of stem cell colony formation by purified CD8 lymphocytes and CD8 conditioned medium: potential importance for bone marrow transplantation in leukemia.

A methodology for selection of the CD8 cell subset from the peripheral blood and bone marrow mononuclear cells was developed using anti-T8 (CD8) antibody and magnetic microspheres coated with anti-mouse IgG. Following optimization of antibody:cell binding ratio and microsphere:cell ratios, CD8(+)-cells in the peripheral blood and bone marrow were effectively removed, with an overall final recovery of 34.9% +/- 8.6%, and 56% +/- 8.5% respectively with complete recovery of stem cells and very little contamination with effector cells. CD8(+)-depleted cell preparations demonstrated a 3-4 fold increase in CFU-C and CFU-E colony formation over non-depleted preparations when stimulated with G-CSF, GM-CSF or IL-3 and erythropoietin. The largest increase in colony formation was evident when IL-3 was used to stimulate colony formation. Purified autologous CD8+ T-cells or culture supernatant from in vitro cultures of purified autologous CD8+ T-cells added back to CD8 depleted preparations, induced 20%-90% suppression of CFU-C and CFU-E colony formation in a dose dependent manner. Colony formation by CD34+ cells, purified by anti CD34 antibodies and magnetic microspheres, were also inhibited by either pure CD8(+)-cell populations or CD8-culture supernatant. Preliminary fractionation studies indicate that the inhibitory factor is a protein of > 50 kd. In contrast, when purified autologous CD4+ cells were added to purified CD34+ stem cells, an increase (< 50%) in colony formation was observed. These results, taken together, suggest that CD8+ T-cells are negative effectors of normal hematopoiesis whereas CD4+ T-cells function as positive effectors.

Influence of mixed chimerism on the results of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukemia

Serial cytogenetic studies were performed on 60 leukemic recipients of HLA-matched bone marrow transplants (BMT) who were prepared by high doses of alkylating agents and fractionated total body irradiation (TBI). Forty-three patients were recipients of untreated BMT and 17 were recipients of T-depleted BMT. Donor or host mitoses were identified by examination of sex chromosomes in 54 patients or by evaluation of the polymorphism of other chromosomes after specific banding in six patients. Mixed lymphoid chimerism (MLC) was identified in 29 patients and full donor lymphoid chimerism (FDLC) in 29 patients. Complete donor hematopoiesis was recovered in most patients after 12 months, but two T-depleted patients had persistent host cells at 46 and 52 months after the graft. Acute graft-versus-host disease was significantly less frequent in patients with MLC, especially when more than 10% of residual lymphoid cells were detected. The probability of relapse and survival was identical in patients with MLC and FDLC, except in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia where MLC was significantly associated with an increased risk of relapse.

Influence of Mixed Chimerism on the Results of Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation for Leukemia

AbstractSerial cytogenetic studies were performed on 60 leukemic recipients of HLA-matched bone marrow transplants (BMT) who were prepared by high doses of alkylating agents and fractionated total body irradiation (TBI). Forty-three patients were recipients of untreated BMT and 17 were recipients of T-depleted BMT. Donor or host mitoses were identified by examination of sex chromosomes in 54 patients or by evaluation of the polymorphism of other chromosomes after specific banding in six patients. Mixed lymphoid chimerism (MLC) was identified in 29 patients and full donor lymphoid chimerism (FDLC) in 29 patients. Complete donor hematopoiesis was recovered in most patients after 12 months, but two T-depleted patients had persistent host cells at 46 and 52 months after the graft. Acute graft-versus-host disease was significantly less frequent in patients with MLC, especially when more than 10% of residual lymphoid cells were detected. The probability of relapse and survival was identical in patients with MLC and FDLC, except in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia where MLC was significantly associated with an increased risk of relapse.

T-cell depletion of HLA-identical transplants in leukemia

We analyzed the effects of T-cell depletion on the outcome of HLA- identical sibling bone marrow transplants for leukemia by comparing 731 T-cell-depleted transplants with 2,480 non-T-cell-depleted transplants. T-cell depletion decreased acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (relative risk [RR] 0.45; P less than .0001) and chronic (GVHD) (RR 0.56; P less than .0001). However, it increased graft failure (RR 9.29; P less than .0001). Leukemia relapse also was increased. In first remission acute leukemia or chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, leukemia relapse was 2.75 times more likely after T-cell-depleted transplants (P less than .0001). T-cell depletion increased the risk of treatment failure (RR 1.35; P less than .0003) and decreased leukemia- free survival. We also studied controllable variables associated with outcome of T-cell-depleted transplants. The unique findings were that among recipients of T-cell-depleted transplants for early leukemia, radiation doses greater than or equal to 11 Gy (RR 0.54; P less than .01), dose rates greater than 14 cGy/min (RR 0.56; P less than .002), and additional posttransplant immune suppression with cyclosporine alone (RR 0.53; P less than .0006) or cyclosporine plus methotrexate (RR 0.36; P less than .01) were associated with fewer treatment failures. Use of monoclonal antibodies rather than physical techniques for T-cell depletion (RR 2.01; P less than .03) and fractionated radiation (RR 1.69; P less than .05) were associated with increased treatment failure and lower leukemia-free survival. These data may be useful in designing strategies to improve results of T-cell-depleted transplants.