Myeloablative Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Research Articles

Comparison of Reduced Intensity Conditioning - Allogeneic HCT and Autologous HCT for Elderly Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. an Analysis from the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation

BACKGROUND: The outcome of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) aged above 55 years treated with conventional-dose chemotherapy is poor. Due to the frequent presence of co-morbidities many patients are ineligible for myeloablative allogeneic (allo) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The role of autologous (auto) HCT and reduced intensity conditioning (RIC)-alloHCT is not well-established. The goal of this study was to analyze results of these transplant options and to identify factors affecting outcome. PATIENTS: Five-hundred and sixty patients with ALL treated in first complete remission (CR1) with RIC-alloHCT (n=418) or autoHSCT (n=142), between 2000-2018, were included in the analysis. Among allogeneic donors, 50% were HLA-matched sibling donors (MSD) and 50% were 8/8 HLA matched unrelated donors (MUD). Median age for RIC-alloHCT and autoHCT was 60 (range 55-76) years and 61 (range 55-76) years, respectively. The proportion of Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph(+)) ALL was 71% and 63%, respectively. Measurable residual disease (MRD)-positive status at the time of HCT was reported in 35% and 21% patients, respectively (p=0.002). Busulphan and fludarabine (BuFlu) was the most frequently used conditioning regimen in the RIC-alloHCT setting (34%) while a combination of 12 Gy total body irradiation/cyclophosphamide (TBI12Gy/Cy) was most frequent in the autoHCT group (33%). RESULTS: The engraftment rate was 99% after RIC-alloHCT and 96% after autoHCT (p=0.01) while median time to neutrophil recovery was 16 days and 12 days, respectively (p<0.001), respectively. With a median follow-up of 57 months, the probabilities of leukemia-free survival (LFS) and overall survival (OS) at 5 years were 39% versus 34% (p=0.11) and 45% vs. 42% (p=0.23), respectively. The incidence of relapse (RI) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) were 41% vs. 51% (p=0.22) and 25% vs. 10% (p=0.001), respectively. In a multivariate model, using autoHCT as reference, the risk of NRM was increased for MSD-HCT (HR=2.1, p=0.02) and MUD-HCT (HR=3.08, p<0.001), which for MUD-HCT translated into a decreased chance of LFS (HR=1.55, p=0.01) and OS (HR=1.62, p=0.008). For MSD-HCT there was a tendency towards decreased LFS (HR=1.31, p=0.11) and OS (1.29, p=0.15) when compared to autoHCT. Among other prognostic factors, the risk of relapse was decreased for Ph(+) ALL compared to Ph(-) B-ALL (HR=0.7, p=0.04) which was accompanied by improved OS (HR=0.74, p=0.04). Finally, the risk of relapse was increased for patients with detectable MRD (HR=1.38, p=0.04) without significant effect on survival. CONCLUSIONS: Results of autoHCT for patients with ALL aged above 55 years in CR1 and with MRD negativity pre-transplant are encouraging. This option may be a valuable alternative to RIC-alloHCT and is associated with an improved OS compared to transplantations from MUD. Our observations require verification in prospective trials in the context of currently available novel agents and technologies, including blinatumomab, inotuzumab ozogamicin and CAR-T cells. Figure. Results of RIC-alloHCT and autoHCT for patients with ALL in CR1 aged >55 years Figure Disclosures Labopin: Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria. Blaise:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria. Forcade:Novartis: Other: Travel grant for congress; Sanofi: Other: Travel grant for congress; JAZZ: Other: Travel grant for congress; NEOVII: Other: Travel grant for congress; Gilead: Speakers Bureau. Yakoub-Agha:Janssen: Honoraria; Gilead/Kite: Honoraria, Other: travel support; Novartis: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria. Mohty:Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Stemline: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.

Clinical Applications for Biomarkers of Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD, cGVHD) are serious complications of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. The complex pathophysiology of these disease processes is associated with immune system activation, the release of cytokines and chemokines, and alterations in cell populations. The blood levels of specific protein and cellular levels in patients with GVHD have correlated with the development, diagnosis, and prognosis of GVHD. Here, we review the most promising biomarkers for aGVHD and cGVHD with clinical relevance. The utility of GVHD biomarkers in clinical care of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients needs to be proven through clinical trials, and potential approaches to trial design are discussed.

Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency.

To describe a new combined primary immunodeficiency disease, previously known as autosomal recessive hyper-IgE syndrome, whose molecular basis was discovered in 2009. Two groups identified homozygous and compound heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) gene in at least 30 patients who had been previously diagnosed with an atypical form of hyper-IgE syndrome. Absence of DOCK8 expression impairs T cell expansion in vitro, which could help explain the T cell lymphopenia and susceptibility to cutaneous viral infections observed in these patients. In mouse models of DOCK8 deficiency, absence of DOCK8 expression also impairs the generation of a durable secondary antibody response to specific antigens, which could account for the functional antibody abnormalities and recurrent sinopulmonary infections observed in the patients. Two patients have been cured of infectious complications after myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. The discovery of the molecular basis of this disease is expected to facilitate diagnosis and definitive treatment with hematopoietic cell transplantation. Further research is needed to understand how DOCK8 normally functions in lymphocytes and how DOCK8 deficiency leads to disease.

Pretransplant Predictors and Posttransplant Sequels of Acute Kidney Injury after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Although various risk factors for AKI have been reported, the influence of pretransplant comorbidity on the incidence of AKI has not been well investigated. We performed a retrospective analysis of 207 consecutive patients undergoing myeloablative or nonmyeloablative SCT between 2001 and 2009, using the hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) as a representative of pretransplant comorbidities. According to Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria, 158 patients (76.3%) developed AKI, and 92 patients (44.4%) developed severe AKI (RIFLE class I or class F) within 100 days after SCT. The cumulative incidence of severe AKI within 100 days in patients with an HCT-CI score 0, 1-2, and ≥3 was 21.3%, 48.8%, and 73.9%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the HCT-CI was independently associated with severe AKI (HCT-CI 1-2: adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.42, P < .01; HCT-CI ≥3: adjusted HR 4.69, P < .01). In a landmark analysis, patients with severe AKI had a lower 3-year overall survival (OS) (39.3% versus 61.4%, P < .01), and a higher 3-year nonrelapse mortality (NRM) (40.8% versus 5.6%, P < .01) than those without AKI. Multivariate analysis showed that severe AKI was a significant risk factor for worse OS (HR: 2.10, P = .01) and NRM (HR: 6.15, P < .01). Thus, it is important to assess the HCT-CI to predict the incidence of AKI, which is a strong indicator of worse prognosis after SCT.