Prognosis of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia relapsing after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

The outcomes of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) presenting relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT) are poor, with few data available in this setting. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with ALL presenting relapsed after allo-SCT, we performed a retrospective study including 132 from 11 centres in Spain. RESULTS: Therapeutic strategies consisted of palliative treatment (n = 22), chemotherapy (n = 82), tyrosine kinase inhibitors (n = 26), immunotherapy with inotuzumab and/or blinatumumab (n = 19), donor lymphocyte infusions (n = 29 pts), second allo-SCT (n = 37) and CAR T therapy (n = 14). The probability of overall survival (OS) at 1 and 5 years after relapse was 44% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 36%; 52%) and 19% (95% CI: 11%; 27%). In the 37 patients undergoing a second allo-SCT, the 5-year estimated OS probability was 40% [22%; 58%]. Younger age, recent allo-SCT, late relapse, 1st complete remission at 1st allo-SCT and chronic graft-versus-host disease confirmed their positive impact on survival in the multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: Despite the poor prognosis of patients with ALL presenting relapse after a first allo-SCT, some can be satisfactorily rescued and a second allo-SCT still remains a valid option for selected patients. Moreover, emerging therapies really might improve ALL patients outcome when relapsing after an allo-SCT.

Endoscopic evaluation and histological findings in graft-versus-host disease.

BACKGROUND: the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the major target site of the graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Diagnosis is based on endoscopic and histological findings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: we performed a retrospective study from January 1st, 1990 to December 31st, 2008 on 338 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies (gastroscopies) performed to 197 patients that underwent an allogeneic transplant with clinical suspicion of GI-GVHD. RESULTS: endoscopic findings to the diagnosis of GVHD have a sensitivity (S) of 34%, specificity levels (SP) of 65%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 73% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 48%. The histological study of the endoscopic biopsies has a global sensibility of 85.6% SP = 34.6% PPV = 64.2% and NPV = 63.7%. Histological grade was correlated with the clinical grade of acute GVHD (p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is useful for the diagnosis of GVHD, as it allows biopsies that can ultimately lead to the diagnosis, but with limited accuracy because the histological findings have low sensitivity and specificity, while the endoscopic findings are generally nonspecific.

Helicobacter pylori infection and graft-versus-host disease.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the main target site of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Diagnosis is based on endoscopic and histological findings. Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a Gram-negative spiral bacterium linked to gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and adenocarcinoma and is frequently observed on endoscopy in patients who have undergone transplantation. The role, if any, played by HP infection in the development of acute GVHD is unknown. We conducted a retrospective study between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2008, of 338 upper GI endoscopies (gastroscopies) performed on patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation with clinical suspicion of GVHD (198 patients). Acute and chronic GVHD were confirmed from histological features in 97 patients (51.3%) and 68 patients (36%), respectively. HP infection was detected in 69 patients (35%) and had a negative modulating effect on the development of acute GVHD (relative risk [RR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.79; P = .001) and chronic GVHD (RR, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.61-0.92; P = .016). Furthermore, the presence of HP was inversely correlated with the histological severity of GVHD (P = .003). Our findings suggest that infection with HP may have a negative modulating effect on GVHD.

Ruxolitinib in refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease: a multicenter survey study.

Graft-versus-host disease is the main cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. First-line treatment is based on the use of high doses of corticosteroids. Unfortunately, second-line treatment for both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, remains a challenge. Ruxolitinib has been shown as an effective and safe treatment option for these patients. Seventy-nine patients received ruxolitinib and were evaluated in this retrospective and multicenter study. Twenty-three patients received ruxolitinib for refractory acute graft-versus-host disease after a median of 3 (range 1-5) previous lines of therapy. Overall response rate was 69.5% (16/23) which was obtained after a median of 2 weeks of treatment, and 21.7% (5/23) reached complete remission. Fifty-six patients were evaluated for refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease. The median number of previous lines of therapy was 3 (range 1-10). Overall response rate was 57.1% (32/56) with 3.5% (2/56) obtaining complete remission after a median of 4 weeks. Tapering of corticosteroids was possible in both acute (17/23, 73%) and chronic graft-versus-host disease (32/56, 57.1%) groups. Overall survival was 47% (CI: 23-67%) at 6 months for patients with aGVHD (62 vs 28% in responders vs non-responders) and 81% (CI: 63-89%) at 1 year for patients with cGVHD (83 vs 76% in responders vs non-responders). Ruxolitinib in the real life setting is an effective and safe treatment option for GVHD, with an ORR of 69.5% and 57.1% for refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, respectively, in heavily pretreated patients.