Reduced-Intensity Allogeneic Transplant in Patients Older Than 55 Years: Unrelated Umbilical Cord Blood Is Safe and Effective for Patients without a Matched Related Donor

In unrelated cord blood (UCB) transplantation, survival has been shown to correlate with the degree of HLA matching. Thus, to extend transplant access to different ethnic backgrounds, many western UCB transplantation banks now encourage donation from non-Caucasians. Until recently, Saudi Arabia did not have a national UCB bank. In this study we report our experience in UCB transplantation in children using units procured from western cord blood banks. A total of 97 children underwent unrelated UCB transplantation at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC), of which 95 were of Arab ethnicity. A total of 30 patients had malignant disorders, 25 patients had non-malignant hematological disorders and 42 patients had inborn errors. Conditioning was according to disease, with six patients receiving reduced-intensity regimens. In all, 46 patients received one-Ag-mismatched units and 51 received twoAg-mismatched units. Engraftment occurred in 93% of patients, the 100-TRM was 15%, acute GVHD developed in 20% of patients and chronic GVHD occurred in 9% of patients. The 5-year OS and EFS estimates were 52 and 43%, respectively. The search for UCB transplantation units for Saudi patients in western banks yielded reasonably compatible units for our patients; the results are consistent with published data. Our data are encouraging for UCB transplant programs in countries in which there are no national UCB transplantation banks.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Unrelated cord blood transplantation in pediatric patients: a report from Saudi Arabia

Ayas

Al-Seraihi

Al‐Jefri

et al. 2009

“…3 According to published reports, for most patients the time to ANC recovery after double CBT, both with standard and reduced-intensity conditioning, is not significantly shorter than that for single unit CBT and usually results from the exclusive and unpredictable engraftment of one of the units. [22][23][24][25] The benefit of double CBT seems to result from a higher chance for engraftment and full CB chimerism, on top of other possible undetermined effects, immunological or otherwise, that could also influence the prevalence of the engrafting unit. We do not have data indicative of the mechanism underlying the final replacement of the TPD graft by the CBT in the dual CBT/TPD-MHSC model.…”

Section: Evaluable Patients 55mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cord blood transplants supported by co-infusion of mobilized hematopoietic stem cells from a third-party donor

Bautista

Cabrera

Regidor

et al. 2008

This open label clinical study provides updated evaluation of the strategy of single unit cord blood transplants (CBTs) with co-infusion of third-party donor (TPD) mobilized hematopoietic stem cells (MHSC). Fifty-five adults with high-risk hematological malignancies, median age 34 years (16-60 years) and weight 70 kg (43-95 kg), received CBTs (median 2.39 Â 10 7 total nucleated cell (TNC) per kg and 0.11 Â 10 6 CD34 þ per kg) and TPD-MHSC (median 2.4 Â 106 CD34 þ per kg and 3.2 Â 10 3 CD3 þ per kg). Median time to ANC and to CB-ANC 40.5 Â 10 9 /l as well as to full CB-chimerism was 10, 21 and 44 days, with maximum cumulative incidences (MCI) of 0.96, 0.95 and 0.91. Median time to unsupported platelets 420 Â 10 9 /l was 32 days (MCI 0.78). MCI for grades I-IV and III-IV acute GVHD (aGVHD) were 0.62 and 0.11; 12 of 41 patients (29%) who are at risk developed chronic GVHD, becoming severely extensive in three patients. Relapses occurred in seven patients (MCI ¼ 0.17). The main causes of morbi-mortality were post-engraftment infections. CMV reactivations were the most frequent, their incidence declining after the fourth month. Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival (Kaplan-Meier) were 56 % and 47% (63% and 54% for patients p40 years). In conclusion, CBT with single units of relatively low cell content and 0-3 HLA mismatches is feasible as a first choice option for adult patients who lack a readily available adequate adult donor.

“…A more recent study from Minnesota in patients aged X55 years compared MRD RIC (n ¼ 47) vs UCB 76 AML/MDS comprised 50% of the diagnoses; 23% in the UCB cohort had MDS. The 3-year PFS and OS for MRD and UCB were 30 vs 34%, (P ¼ 0.98) and 43 vs 34% (P ¼ 0.57).…”

Section: Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolution of hematopoietic SCT in myelodysplastic syndrome

Kindwall‐Keller

Isola

2009

Allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (allo-HCT) is the only curative therapy for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Numerous myeloablative (MA), nonmyeloablative SCT (NST) and reduced conditioning transplant (RIC) studies have included MDS patients. Twenty-four MA HCT studies published from 2000 and 2008 reported OS and disease-free survival (DFS) ranging from 25 and 16% at 2 years to 52 and 50% at 4 years. In these publications, the incidence of grades II-IV acute GVHD was 18-100%, chronic GVHD 13-88%, relapse risk 24% at 1 year to 54.5% at 4 years and TRM 19% at day 100 to 61% at 5 years. From 2003 to 2008, 30 publications combining RIC and NST reported OS and DFS from 22 and 20% at 2 years to 79 and 79% at 4 years. Incidence of grades II-IV acute GVHD ranged from 9 to 63%, chronic GVHD 18 to 80%, relapse risk 6 to 61% and TRM 0% at day 100 to 34% at 5 years. The wide range in the published results leaves many unanswered questions. Although no ideal transplant conditioning has emerged, many of the MA and RIC studies used BU-based regimens and used a recipient age cutoff of 50-55 years for MA HCT. Similarly, there is no agreement on the use of induction or hypomethylating therapy before HCT, but azacitidine and decitabine are gaining increasing attention as a bridge to HCT. Until recently, the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) dictated the use and timing of HCT. The WHO classification and WHO Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS) may be better suited in predicting the outcomes and should probably be incorporated in transplant algorithms. Most published MDS transplant series combine matched related donors (MRD) and matched unrelated donors (MUD). Umbilical cord blood (UCB) grafts will likely broaden the population of MDS patients eligible for allografting, but outcome data for MDS are scant. At this time, it is reasonable to consider the availability of an MRD or MUD as separate from an UCB graft in the decision of transplantation for MDS. The development of RIC, improvements in supportive therapy and alternative donor selection will provide better OS for MDS patients undergoing transplantation. Simultaneously, better understanding and medical therapy of MDS are leading us to re-examine patient selection and the timing of HCT. The results of HCT for MDS continue to improve together with the outlook of patients afflicted with myelodysplasia.