Treosulfan- Versus Busulfan-based Conditioning in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Single-center Retrospective Propensity Score-matched Cohort Study.

Treosulfan has shown promise in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for its myeloablative properties and low toxicity. In this single-center retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study we compared treosulfan- and busulfan-based conditioning in allogeneic HCT for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This study included 138 adults who underwent allogeneic HCT for MDS or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia at Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, from 2015 to 2022. Using propensity score matching, we compared transplant outcomes between 2 well-matched cohorts who received conditioning with either fludarabine-treosulfan (FT) (n = 46) or fludarabine-busulfan with total body irradiation (FBT200) (n = 92). A scoring system based on patient age, Karnofsky performance score, and hematopoietic cell transplant comorbidity index was used to assign patients based on fitness to low-dose (30 g/m2) or high-dose (42 g/m2) treosulfan: 32 (69.6%) received high-dose treosulfan. The racial composition of the 2 groups was similar, with 27.2% and 21.7% of FBT200 and FT recipients, respectively, identifying as non-Caucasian (P = .61). Primary outcomes were analyzed at a median follow-up of 747 days. Of all participants, 116 (84.0%) received graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY) and antithymocyte globulin (ATG). Patients who received FT had a superior 2-year overall survival (OS) compared to those who received FBT200: 66.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 46.1 to 81.2) versus 44.5% (95% CI: 34 to 54.4), hazard ratio (HR): 0.43, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.84 (P = .013). In multivariate analysis (MVA), only the use of fresh grafts (P = .02) and FT (P = .01) were associated with improved OS. FT was associated with superior 2-year relapse-free survival (RFS) compared to FBT200: 63.1% (95% CI: 42.6 to 77.9) versus 39.1% (95% CI: 29.1 to 49.1), HR: 0.44 (95% CI: 0.24 to 0.81), P = .008. In MVA, the use of fresh grafts (P = .03) and FT (P = .009) were associated with improved RFS. Recipients of FT demonstrated superior 2-year graft-versus-host disease relapse-free survival (GRFS) compared to those who received FBT200: 57.4% (95% CI: 37.8 to 72.8) versus 35.1% (95% CI: 25.5 to 45). In MVA, only FT was associated with superior GRFS (P = .02). FT recipients exhibited markedly superior 1-year event-free survival compared to recipients of FBT200 in univariate analysis (40.3% (95% CI: 25.9 to 54.2) versus 9.2% (95% CI: 4.4 to 16.3), HR: 0.47 (95% CI: 0.30 to 0.72), P < .001) and MVA (P = .004). FT was associated with lower 1-year nonrelapse mortality compared to FBT200 in univariate analysis (9.9% (95% CI: 3.0 to 21.8) versus 29.7% (95% CI: 20.6 to 39.3), HR: 0.41 (95% CI: 0.17 to 0.96), P = .04) and MVA (P = .04). Our study utilized propensity score matching to demonstrate superiority of treosulfan- over busulfan-based conditioning in stem cell transplantation of patients with MDS and is the first to evaluate the performance of treosulfan-based conditioning in combination with ATG and PTCY. As such, it contributes to the increasing body of evidence supporting the safety of treosulfan, even at the dose of 42 g/m2.

Pretransplant Blinatumomab Improves Outcomes in B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients Who Undergo Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Blinatumomab, a bispecific monoclonal antibody, effectively controls refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and promotes measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity. This study investigated the impact of pretransplant blinatumomab on allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) outcomes in B cell ALL patients. METHODS: We analyzed the effect of pretransplant blinatumomab on transplant outcomes of 117 adults undergoing allogeneic HCT for B cell ALL at Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, between 2010 and 2021. Outcomes assessed included overall survival (OS), graft-versus-host disease and relapse-free survival (GRFS), cumulative incidences of relapse (CIR), and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). RESULTS: The median follow-up was 36 months. Thirty-one participants (26.5%) received blinatumomab. Blinatumomab group had higher proportions of individuals with high disease risk index, primary induction failure and was more likely to receive dual T cell depletion with antithymocyte globulin and post-transplant cyclophosphamide. Two-year OS, GRFS, NRM, and CIR in the blinatumomab and nonblinatumomab groups were, respectively: 65.4% versus 45.6% (P = .05), 42.2% versus 17.3% (P = .01), 3.2% versus 43.0% (P = .007) and 34.4% versus 14.4% (P = .02). Blinatumomab was associated with a lower incidence of day-100 grade 2 to 4 and grade 3 to 4 acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD): 27.5% versus 56.7% (P = .009), and 10.9% versus 34.7% (P = .04), respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed the association between pretransplant blinatumomab and improved OS and NRM. CONCLUSIONS: Pretransplant blinatumomab is associated with improved OS and lower risk of NRM in B cell ALL patients undergoing allogeneic HCT, likely reflecting lower burden of treatment-related toxicity in this population. Larger prospective trials are warranted to validate our findings.

Dual T cell depletion for graft versus host disease prevention in peripheral blood haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation for adults with hematological malignancies.

The ideal immunosuppressive agents to complement post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) in PBSC-based haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT) remain debated. This study looks at our experience with ATG-PTCy-Cyclosporine (CsA) prophylaxis in PB haplo-HCT since 2015. Between October 2015 and December 2021, 157 adults underwent haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT) using a GVHD prophylaxis regimen comprising rabbit-ATG, PTCy, and CsA. Among these patients, 76.4% received a total ATG dose of 4.5 mg/kg, and 23.5% received 2 mg/kg. T-cell replete peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) grafts were infused on day 0. The study reported a median follow-up of 32 months (range 0.3-61.64) for survivors. The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV and grade III-IV acute GVHD at day +100 was 26.3% and 9.5%, respectively. Moderate/severe chronic GVHD at 1 year was 19.9%. The 2-year overall survival (OS) was 49.4%, with a relapse-free survival (RFS) of 44.6%. In multivariate analysis, older patients, and those with high/very-high disease risk indices (DRI) were at higher risk for worse OS and higher non-relapse mortality (NRM). The study confirms that using PTCy and ATG (4.5 mg/kg), alongside CsA is safe and effective in preventing GVHD when using peripheral blood as the stem cell source in haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT).

Multiplex proteomics in the identification of potential biomarkers of very severe sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease (SOS/VOD) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant patients treated with defibrotide.

Introduction Despite well-established clinical criteria for diagnosis of SOS/VOD following allogeneic HCT, there is a lack of established diagnostic protein biomarkers. Methods Prospective samples were collected from patients with very severe SOS/VOD at diagnosis and days +3, +7, +14, and +30 post-initiation of defibrotide. Samples from age-matched controls with no VOD were collected at day +14, +30, +60, +90 and +180 following allogeneic HCT. Serum samples were analyzed for 2925 protein levels by antibody-based proximity extension assay (PEA). Mean differences in the log-transformed abundance values were compared using t-tests in a volcano plot. Results Five patients with very severe SOS/VOD and five control patients were compared. Ten proteins were identified that showed a statistically significant and log-transformed 3-fold increase in concentration. They were CALCA, CCL20, GPR37, IGFBP4, IL1RL1, SLC39A14, SPINK4, FABP3, MYL3, and CHCHD10. Four different proteins, namely CD83, LAIR2, CD7, and HEM6 showed a significant decrease with defibrotide treatment. SOS/VOD resolved in 80% (n=4) of patients, while one patient deceased due to SOS/VOD. Conclusion PEA technology identified 10 proteins that were significantly elevated in patients with very severe SOS/VOD. Prospective studies in a larger cohort using this technology may be able to conclusively identify diagnostic protein biomarkers for SOS/VOD.

Outcomes of Antithymocyte Globulin-Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide-Cyclosporine-Based versus Antithymocyte Globulin-Based Prophylaxis for 10/10 HLA-Matched Unrelated Donor Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

In 2015, dual T cell depletion with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) combined with cyclosporine A (CsA) replaced our prior institutional graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis regimen of 4.5 mg/kg ATG, CsA, and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (ATG-based) in 10/10 HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD) peripheral blood allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT). The initial ATG dose of 4.5 mg/kg [ATG(4.5)/PTCy] was reduced to 2 mg/kg [ATG(2)/PTCy] in 2018. This study compares the results obtained from 444 adults undergoing MUD allo-HCT at our institution who received ATG(4.5)/PTCy (n = 127) or ATG(2)/PTCy (n = 223) with those who received ATG-based prophylaxis without PTCy (n = 84). The rates of grade II-IV and grade III-IV acute GVHD (aGVHD) at day +100 and moderate/severe chronic GVHD (cGVHD) at 1 year were 35.7%, 21.6%, and 14.7%, respectively, in patients receiving ATG-based prophylaxis without PTCy; 16.5%, 4.9%, and 4.3% in patients receiving ATG(4.5)/PTCy; and 23.3% (P = .004), 8.0% (P < .001), and 14.1% (P =.006) in patients receiving ATG(2)/PTCy. One-year overall survival (OS), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), and GVHD-free relapse-free survival (GRFS) were 69.8%, 25.3%, and 52.0%, respectively, for patients receiving ATG-based prophylaxis without PTCy; 82.7%, 17.3%, and 59.8% for patients receiving ATG(4.5)/PTCy; and 78.3% (P = .446), 14.7% (P = 101), and 56.2% (P = .448) for patients receiving ATG(2)/PTCy. On univariate analyses, the use of ATG(2)/PTCy was associated with a lower risk of NRM (hazard ratio, .54; P = .023) compared with the use of ATG-based prophylaxis without PTCy. ATG(2)/PTCy prophylaxis effectively prevents GVHD and is associated with comparable relapse risk, OS, and GRFS as seen with ATG(4.5)/PTCy and ATG-based prophylaxis without PTCy.

Late-onset Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia post-allogeneic stem cell transplantation after time-dependent discontinuation of prophylaxis.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is a rare complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Primary prophylaxis for 6-12 months post-HSCT is the standard approach. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal duration of prophylaxis. METHODS: We identified patients who developed PJP more than 1-year post-HSCT. All patients had previously received 12 months of PJP prophylaxis. PJP was diagnosed based on clinical findings and the detection of P. jirovecii in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The CD4+ T-cell percentage was determined using flow cytometry. Data expressed as median (interquartile range). RESULTS: Ten patients developed PJP at 17.5 months (16-24 months) post-HSCT. PJP diagnosis occurred 5.5 months (3-15 months) after discontinuing prophylaxis. Eight patients received anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) as graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. At diagnosis, only one patient had lymphopenia; all patients had CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts ≥0.2 × 109 /L (median 0.337 × 109 /L). Three patients had concomitant bacterial infections. The clinical presentation was mild; only three required hospitalization, none of them required intensive care and there were no deaths. CONCLUSION: There is a need to develop risk-adapted prophylactic strategies in the contemporary era using ATG-based GVHD prophylaxis.

Donor-Derived Malignancy and Transplantation Morbidity: Risks of Patient and Donor Genetics in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) remains a key treatment option for hematologic malignancies (HMs), although it carries significant risks. Up to 30% of patients relapse after allo-HSCT, of which up to 2% to 5% are donor-derived malignancies (DDMs). DDMs can arise from a germline genetic predisposition allele or clonal hematopoiesis (CH) in the donor. Increasingly, genetic testing reveals that patient and donor genetic factors contribute to the development of DDM and other allo-HSCT complications. Deleterious germline variants in CEBPA, DDX41, GATA2, and RUNX1 predispose to inferior allo-HSCT outcomes. DDM has been linked to donor-acquired somatic CH variants in DNMT3A, ASXL1, JAK2, and IDH2, often with additional new variants. We do not yet have evidence to standardize donor genetic sequencing prior to allo-HSCT. The presence of hereditary HM disorders should be considered in patients with myeloid malignancies and their related donors, and screening of unrelated donors should include family and personal history of cytopenia and HMs. Excellent multidisciplinary care is critical to ensure efficient timelines for screening and necessary discussions among medical oncologists, genetic counselors, recipients, and potential donors. After allo-HSCT, HM relapse monitoring with genetic testing effectively results in genetic sequencing of the donor, as the transplanted hematopoietic system is donor-derived, which presents ethical challenges for disclosure to patients and donors. We encourage consideration of the recent National Marrow Donor Program policy that allows donors to opt-in for notification about detection of their genetic variants after allo-HSCT, with appropriate genetic counseling when feasible. We look forward to prospective investigation of the impact of germline and acquired somatic genetic variants on hematopoietic stem cell mobilization/engraftment, graft-versus-host disease, and DDM to facilitate improved outcomes through knowledge of genetic risk.

Letermovir prophylaxis for cytomegalovirus reactivation in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients: Single center Canadian data.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is associated with morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). Letermovir is a novel antiviral agent that prevents CMV reactivation in alloHCT patients, with limited data regarding influence on post-alloHCT outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 273 alloHCT recipients, 158 in the non-letermovir cohort (NLC), and 115 in the cohort using letermovir prophylaxis (LC). Patients that received letermovir were CMV-seropositive and met criteria for high risk of CMV reactivation. RESULTS: Median start of letermovir was 21 days post-alloHCT, median duration of prophylaxis was 86 days. Letermovir prophylaxis demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in first CMV reactivation (at 200 days post 63.9% in the NLC vs. 35.7% in the LC; p < .001). On univariate analysis at 1 year, overall survival (OS) for NLC was 79.6% and 79.5% for LC (p = .54). Non relapse mortality (NRM) at 1 year for NLC was 12% and 12.3% for LC (p = .69). Cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) at 1 year was 13.9% for NLC versus 17.1 for the LC (p = .27). On multivariable analysis, there was no significant difference between the two cohorts for OS, NRM, and CIR. CONCLUSIONS: Letermovir prophylaxis started at day +21 post-alloHCT reduced CMV reactivation, with no impact on posttransplant outcomes.

Propensity Score Matching Analysis Comparing the Efficacy and Steroid Tapering Benefit of Extracorporeal Photopheresis to Best Available Therapy in Third-Line or Beyond Treatment for Chronic GvHD.

Graft-versus host disease (GVHD) is one of the major limitations to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). Although corticosteroids with calcineurin inhibitors are established first line-therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), approximately one-half of cGVHD patients are refractory to corticosteroid therapy. The goal of the present study was to compare treatment outcomes of patients treated with extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) and best available therapy (BAT) as third-line or beyond treatment for cGVHD. Using propensity score matching (PSM), treatment outcomes were compared between ECP-treated patients (n = 74) and a historical cohort of cGVHD patients treated with BAT (n = 132). By adjusting for unbalanced risk factors between the groups, including GVHD severity at the start of therapy, acute GVHD history, and baseline corticosteroid dose, 62 patients were balanced and selected for PSM. In the PSM cohort, the ECP group showed a 12-month failure-free survival (FFS) rate of 70.1% versus 32.5% in the BAT group (P < .0001; hazard rate [HR], .214), and 93.1% 12 months' overall survival (OS) rate of 93.1% versus 68.1% in the BAT group (P = .0249; HR, .3811); multivariate analysis confirmed ECP's superior FFS and OS compared with BAT. Generalized linear model analysis showed faster tapering of corticosteroids and higher rates of prednisone discontinuation in the ECP versus BAT PSM groups in the first 6 months. The ECP group also had a higher percentage of prednisone discontinuation, by 6% at month 0, by 14.9% at month 3, and by 22.5% at month 6. The current study demonstrates superior FFS, OS, and steroid tapering efficacy for ECP compared with BAT as third-line therapy or beyond in cGVHD patients.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm: a CIBMTR analysis.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematological malignancy with a poor prognosis and considered incurable with conventional chemotherapy. Small observational studies reported allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) offers durable remissions in patients with BPDCN. We report an analysis of patients with BPDCN who received an allo-HCT, using data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). We identified 164 patients with BPDCN from 78 centers who underwent allo-HCT between 2007 and 2018. The 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) rates were 51.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 42.5-59.8), 44.4% (95% CI, 36.2-52.8), 32.2% (95% CI, 24.7-40.3), and 23.3% (95% CI, 16.9-30.4), respectively. Disease relapse was the most common cause of death. On multivariate analyses, age of ≥60 years was predictive for inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.16; 95% CI, 1.35-3.46; P = .001), and higher NRM (HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.13-4.22; P = .02). Remission status at time of allo-HCT (CR2/primary induction failure/relapse vs CR1) was predictive of inferior OS (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.14-3.06; P = .01) and DFS (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.11-2.76; P = .02). Use of myeloablative conditioning with total body irradiation (MAC-TBI) was predictive of improved DFS and reduced relapse risk. Allo-HCT is effective in providing durable remissions and long-term survival in BPDCN. Younger age and allo-HCT in CR1 predicted for improved survival, whereas MAC-TBI predicted for less relapse and improved DFS. Novel strategies incorporating allo-HCT are needed to further improve outcomes.

Machine learning for the prediction of survival post-allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: A single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: Prediction of outcomes following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) remains a major challenge. Machine learning (ML) is a computational procedure that may facilitate the generation of HCT prediction models. We sought to investigate the prognostic potential of multiple ML algorithms when applied to a large single-center allogeneic HCT database. METHODS: Our registry included 2697 patients that underwent allogeneic HCT from January 1976 to December 2017, 45 pre-transplant baseline variables were included in the predictive assessment of each ML algorithm on overall survival (OS) as determined by area under the curve (AUC). Pre-transplant variables used in the EBMT machine learning study (Shouval et al, 2015) were used as a benchmark for comparison. RESULTS: On the entire dataset, the random forest (RF) algorithm performed best (AUC 0.71±0.04) compared to the second-best model, logistic regression (LR) (AUC=0.69±0.04) (p<0.001). Both algorithms demonstrated improved AUC scores using all 45 variables compared to the limited variables examined by the EBMT study. Survival at 100 days post-HCT using RF on the full dataset discriminated patients into different prognostic groups with different 2-year OS (p<0.0001). We then examined the ML methods that allow for significant individual variable identification, including LR and RF, and identified matched related donors (HR=0.49, p<0.0001), increasing TBI dose (HR=1.60, p=0.006), increasing recipient age (HR=1.92, p<0.0001), higher baseline Hb (HR=0.59, p=0.0002) and increased baseline FEV1 (HR=0.73, p=0.02), among others. CONCLUSION: The application of multiple ML techniques on single center allogeneic HCT databases warrants further investigation and may provide a useful tool to identify variables with prognostic potential.

Single centre retrospective analysis of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) therapy in patients heavily pre-treated for chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) with steroid failure.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is recommended as a second- or later-line therapy for chronic GvHD (cGvHD). Benefits include reasonable response with avoidance of intense systemic immunosuppression, which can translate into lowering the risk of systemic toxicity and opportunistic infection. METHODS: We evaluated 75 patients treated with ECP for cGvHD from 2007 to 2021 at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and analyzed overall response rate (ORR) and clinical benefit (CB) at 3, 6 and 12 months plus other long-term treatment outcomes. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 72 months, a gradual increase in ORR was noted over time: 21% (16 out of 75 patients), 57% (36/63) and 70% (32/46) at month 3, 6 and 12, respectively. Gradual increase in CB was also observed over time with CB rate of 23% (17/75), 62% (39/63), and 76% (35/46) at months 3, 6 and 12, respectively. A total of 27 failures (36%) were noted, due to: 1) ECP resistance requiring switch to other therapy (n = 14, 19%), 2) non-relapse mortality (n = 10, 13%), 3) relapse of primary disease (n = 1, 1%) or 4) ECP procedure-related complication (n = 1, 1%, line infection), with 20 deaths (27%) observed. Failure-free survival (FFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 68.3% and 85.9% at 12 months, respectively. After starting ECP, the proportions of patients who completely discontinued steroids were 17%, 32%, and 64% at months 3, 6 and 12, respectively. CONCLUSION: ECP is an effective treatment option for heavily pre-treated cGvHD patients.

Weight loss post-allogeneic stem cell transplant is associated with increased transplant-related mortality.

PURPOSE: Allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) patients are at risk of malnutrition and weight loss from impaired oral intake resulting from gastrointestinal toxicities, dysgeusia, and psychological effects. METHODS: A retrospective review of 264 adult patients transplanted at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre who achieved relapse-free survival up to 3 months after allo-HSCT was performed. RESULTS: Overall incidence of patients who experienced WL (WL) ≥ 10% from HSCT to 3-month post-transplant was 45.9% and from HSCT to 6 months was 56.6%. Patients with ≥ 10% WL from allo-HSCT at 3 months and 6 months had similar 2-year overall survival (OS) compared to those with < 10% WL, 55.7% vs 62.8% (HR = 1.38, p = 0.11) and 71.1% vs 77.2% (HR = 1.37, p = 0.27), respectively. Patients with ≥ 10% WL 3 and 6 months from allo-HSCT also had similar 2-year relapse-free survival (RFS) compared to those with < 10% WL, 48.1% vs 55.8% (HR = 1.26, p = 0.22), and 62.7% vs 69.8% (HR = 1.29, p = 0.31), respectively. The 2-year transplant-related mortality (TRM) was higher for those with ≥ 10% WL from allo-HSCT to 3 months, 35.4% vs 16.9% (HR = 2.39, p = 0.0007) and 6 months, 22% vs 8% (HR = 3.1, p = 0.0034). Although statistical significance was not observed for OS or RFS, patients who experienced ≥ 10% WL 3- and 6-months post allo-HSCT experienced higher 2-year TRM. These results highlight the importance of early intervention and close monitoring of weight post allo-HSCT. CONCLUSION: Approaches to WL post allo-HSCT should be multifaceted and include members of the interdisciplinary team in order to decrease TRM.

HCT frailty scale for younger and older adults undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The HCT Frailty Scale is an easy prognostic tool composed of (a) Clinical Frailty Scale; (b) Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; (c) Timed-up-and-Go test; (d) Grip Strength; (e) Self-Health Rated Questionnaire; (f) Falls tests; (g) Albumin and C-reactive protein levels. This scale was designed to classify allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT) candidates into fit, pre-frail and frail groups, irrespective of age. This study evaluates the ability of this frailty classification to predict overall survival (OS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) in adult patients of all ages, in a prospective sample of 298 patients transplanted between 2018 and 2020. At first consultation, 103 (34.6%) patients were fit, 148 (49.7%) pre-frail, and 47 (15.8%) were frail. The 2-year OS and NRM of the three groups were 82.9%, 67.4%, and 48.3% (P < 0.001), and 5.4%, 19.2%, and 37.7% (P < 0.001). For patients younger than 60 years (n = 174), the 2-year OS and NRM of fit, pre-frail, and frail groups were 88.4%, 69.3% and 53.1% (P = 0.002), and 5.8%, 22.8%, and 34.8% (P = 0.005), respectively; and in patients older than 60 (n = 124), OS and NRM were 75.5%, 63.8% and 41.4% (P = 0.006), and 4.9%, 16.4%, and 42.1% (P = 0.001). In conclusion, frailty predicted worse transplant outcomes in both younger and older adults.

A Single-center, Real-world Experience of Chronic GVHD Treatment Using Ibrutinib, Imatinib, and Ruxolitinib and its Treatment Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), including ruxolitinib, imatinib, and ibrutinib, have shown promising efficacy in cGVHD treatment. METHOD: A total of 43 patients who developed cGVHD and received at least one line of TKI therapy for cGVHD treatment were evaluated retrospectively. The overall response, clinical benefit (CB), corticosteroid dose reduction, failure-free survival (FFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed. RESULT: A total of 62 lines of TKI therapy were evaluated, including ruxolitinib (n = 18), ibrutinib (n = 13), and imatinib (n = 31). With a 12-month median follow-up duration, 19/58 (32.8%), 20/41 (48.7%), and 17/29 (58.6%) responded to TKI therapy at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The CB was observed in 80% of patients over time, allowing prednisone dose reduction in all 3 TKIs. The FFS rate at 12 months was higher in the imatinib (71%) and ruxolitinib groups (67%) than in the ibrutinib group (46%), while the OS rate at 12 months was similar among the three groups at 96%-100% in patients. In the sclerotic GVHD patient subgroup (n = 39), the overall response rate gradually increased over time. Ruxolitinib appeared to be as effective as imatinib and gradually improved the photographic range of motion score in sclerotic GVHD patients. CONCLUSION: TKI drugs ruxolitinib, imatinib, and Ibrutinib are effective and feasible for cGVHD treatment. Ruxolitinib is as effective as imatinib for sclerotic GVHD.

Choosing Between Older Matched Sibling Donor and Younger Matched Unrelated Donor in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Comparison of Clinical Outcomes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

The choice between an older matched sibling donor (MSD) and a younger matched unrelated donor (MUD) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) remains a subject of ongoing debate. In this single-center retrospective study of 377 patients who received peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplants for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), we compared outcomes of 85 patients who received grafts from MSDs age >60 years and 292 patients who received grafts from MUDs age <30 years. Compared to recipients of MSD transplants, recipients of MUD transplants were younger and more likely to receive dual T cell depletion (TCD), a higher CD34+ cell dose, and a fresh graft. Recipients of MSD transplants were maintained on immunosuppressive therapy longer than those who received MUD grafts. We found no differences in overall survival, relapse-free survival, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-free and relapse-free survival, nonrelapse mortality, relapse, engraftment, graft failure, and acute GVHD between recipients of MSD grafts and recipients of MUD grafts. We report a higher 30-day incidence, but not 1-year incidence, of bloodstream infections among recipients of MUD transplants compared to subjects who received their grafts from a MSD. The incidence of moderate-severe chronic GVHD was higher in MSD graft recipients compared with MUD graft recipients in univariate analysis, but not in multivariate analysis. Although this difference could reflect the greater use of dual TCD, known to be associated with very low rates of chronic GVHD in MUD transplant recipients, the incidence of moderate-severe chronic GVHD was no different between MSD and MUD transplant recipients following propensity score matching, suggesting that other variables could be responsible. Taken together, our data suggest that in patients with AML or MDS who receive PBSC transplants, such factors as convenience, ease of access, and costs should be considered when selecting an older MSD over a younger MUD.

Interaction Between High-Dose Intravenous Busulfan and Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide on Hemorrhagic Cystitis After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

This study investigates the incidence and predictors of hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) in 960 adults undergoing allo- hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Two hundred fifty-two (26.5%) patients received myeloablative conditioning regimens, and 81.4% received high-dose intravenous busulfan (HD Bu). Six hundred ninety-five (72.4%) patients received post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCY)-based prophylaxis, and 91.4% additionally received anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and Cyclosporine A (CsA) (PTCY-ATG-CsA). Two hundred twenty-eight (23.8%) patients developed HC. The day 100 cumulative incidences of grades 2-4 and 3-4 HC were 11.1% and 4.9%. BK virus was isolated in 58.3% of urinary samples. Using HD BU myeloablative regimens increased the risk for grade 2-4 HC (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.97, P = .035), and HD BU combined with ATG-PTCY-CsA increased this 4 times (HR = 4.06, P < .001) for grade 2-4 HC compared to patients who received neither of these drugs. A significant correlation was documented between grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease and grade 2-4 HC (HR = 2.10, P < .001). Moreover, patients with BK-POS grade 2-4 HC had lower 1-year overall survival (HR = 1.51, P = .009) and higher non-relapse mortality (HR = 2.31, P < .001), and patients with BK-NEG grade 2-4 HC had comparable post-transplantation outcomes. In conclusion, intravenous HD Bu was identified as a predictor for grade 2-4 HC. Moreover, when HD Bu was combined with PTCY-ATG-CsA, the risk increased 4-fold. Based on the results provided by this study, preventing the onset of HC, especially in high-risk patients, is mandatory because its presence significantly increases the risk for mortality.

Prognostic implication of pre-transplant FEV1 on long-term outcomes following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Pre-transplant pulmonary function testing (PFT) is essential before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT), yet the optimal cutoff value for affecting transplant outcomes remains poorly defined. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of pre-HCT PFT data from 605 consecutive patients at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2013 used binary recursive partitioning to identify cutoff values for overall survival (OS) as an endpoint of transplant outcomes. These values were compared to HCT comorbidity index (HCT-CI) FEV1 cutoffs for OS, cumulative incidence of relapse and non-relapse mortality. RESULTS: FEV1 ≥ 81% was the identified cutoff point. The OS rate at 3 years showed 49.8% (FEV1 ≥ 81%) vs. 36.6% (<81%, p < .001). For HCT-CI cutoffs, the OS rate at 3 years for FEV1 ≥ 80%, 66%-80% and ≤65% were 49.0%, 38.1% and 37.6% (p = .011), respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed that FEV1 ≥ 81% predicted reduced mortality (HR 0.682, p = .001). Subgroup analysis showed both FEV1 ≥ 81% and FEV1 by HCT-CI cutoffs may stratify patients according to OS and NRM risk in subgroups receiving myeloablative, but not reduced intensity conditioning. CONCLUSION: FEV1 ≥ 81% can predict OS and NRM in our cohort and is potentially simpler when risk stratifying patients undergoing allogeneic HCT, particularly those receiving myeloablative conditioning.

Influence of conditioning regimen intensity on outcomes post-allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia in complete morphological remission.

INTRODUCTION: The literature comparing outcomes between myeloablative (MAC) and reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is conflicting. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 451 patients who underwent allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) for AML in complete remission (CR) with either RIC (n = 331) or MAC (n = 120) with the use of dual T-cell depletion as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. RESULTS: Univariate analysis demonstrated nonrelapse mortality (NRM) at 2 years was 19.1% for MAC and 22.5% for RIC (p = .44). Two-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was 19.8% for MAC and 24.5% for RIC (p = .15). Two-year overall survival (OS) was 61% and 53% for MAC and RIC, respectively (p = .02). Two-year graft-versus-host disease relapse-free survival (GRFS) was 40.8% for MAC and 33.7% for RIC (p = .30). A propensity score-matched analysis was done matching patients for age, HLA match, in vivo T-cell depletion, and Disease Risk Index (DRI). Two-year OS was 67% for MAC, 66% for RIC (p = .95). A subgroup analysis identified that matched related donor transplants benefit from MAC with OS at 2 years 82.6% versus 57.3% for RIC (p = .006). CONCLUSIONS: In the matched-related donor setting, MAC regimens may offer superior survival. Overall, for our cohort of predominantly in vivo T-cell depleted patients the outcomes of MAC and RIC were similar.

Improved donor chimerism in relapse myelofibrosis post allogenic stem cell transplant with azacitidine and oral decitabine-First case report.

To date, allogenic stem cell transplant (ASCT) remains the only potential curative option for patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF). However, relapse rates and associated mortality remain a concern. A second ASCT may not be feasible due to advancing age, declined functional status, donor unavailability, toxicities associated with a second ASCT. Herein, we report the first case of utilizing initially azacitidine and subsequently oral decitabine + cedazuridine (decitabine), in the context of relapsed PMF post-ASCT. Utilizing both hypomethylating agents provided disease control and improved donor/myeloid lineage chimerism levels, and the patient also remained transfusion independent, with preserved functional status and quality of life.