The prognosis and risk factors for patients with complex karyotype myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is the curative treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome with a complex karyotype (CK-MDS). However, only a few studies have been limited to patients with CK-MDS undergoing allogeneic HCT. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for patients with CK-MDS undergoing allogeneic HCT. We included 691 patients with CK-MDS who received their first allogeneic HCT. The overall survival (OS) was the primary end-point, estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were identified using a Cox proportional hazards model. The 3-year OS was 29.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26.3-33.3). In the multivariable analysis, older age (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.11-1.88), male sex (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.11-1.71), poor haematopoietic cell transplant comorbidity index (HR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.20-1.81), red blood cell transfusion requirement (HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.13-2.20), platelet transfusion requirement (HR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.46-2.35), not-complete remission (HR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.16-2.06), a high number of karyotype abnormality (HR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.18-2.25) and monosomal karyotype (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.05-2.12) were significantly associated with OS. Thus, the 3-year OS of allogeneic HCT was 29.8% in patients with CK-MDS, and we identified risk factors associated with poor OS.

First complete remission favours haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide over cord blood transplantation in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

To assess the benefits of HLA-haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation using post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy-haplo) relative to those of umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), we analysed 1999 patients (PTCy-haplo, 330; UCB, 1669), using the nationwide Japanese registry. PTCy-haplo was associated with a significantly higher relapse rate, but lower non-relapse mortality, which results in overall survival and disease-free survival, comparable to those of UCB. Among patients in CR1, PTCy-haplo showed a significantly higher survival than UCB regardless of the CD34+ cell dose. Our findings provide valuable insights into the donor selection algorithm in allogeneic HSCT for adult patients with ALL.

Center effect on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcomes for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

This nationwide study retrospectively examined the center effect on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The cohort analyses were separated into Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive and -negative cases. The patients were divided into low- and high-volume groups according to the number of allo-HSCTs at each facility. The primary endpoint was 5-year overall survival (OS). This study included 1156 low-volume and 1329 high-volume Ph-negative and 855 low-volume and 926 high-volume Ph-positive cases. In Ph-negative cases, 5-year OS was significantly higher in the high-volume centers at 52.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 49.9-55.5) versus 46.8% (95% CI: 43.8-49.7) for the low-volume centers (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified high volume as a favorable prognostic factor (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.81 [95% CI: 0.72-0.92], P < 0.01). Subgroup analysis in Ph-negative cases revealed that the center effects were more evident in patients aged ≥40 years (HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.61-0.86, P < 0.01) and those receiving cord blood transplantation (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48-0.79, P < 0.01). In Ph-positive cases, no significant difference was observed between the high and low-volume centers for 5-year OS (59.5% [95% CI: 56.2-62.7] vs. 54.9% [95% CI: 51.3-58.3], P = 0.054). In multivariate analysis, center volume did not emerge as a significant prognostic indicator. This study showed center effects on survival in Ph-negative but not in Ph-positive cases, highlighting the heterogeneity of the center effect in allo-HSCT for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Collaborative efforts among transplant centers and further validation are essential to improve outcomes.

Prognostic factors in haploidentical transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide for acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HCT) is an appropriate option when an HLA-matched related or unrelated donor is not available. Haplo-HCT using post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) is being increasingly performed worldwide due to its effective suppression of GVHD and its safety. METHODS: We conducted a large nationwide cohort study to retrospectively analyze 366 patients with acute myeloid leukemia undergoing haplo-HCT with PTCy between 2010 and 2019 and to identify prognostic factors. RESULTS: A multivariate Cox analysis revealed that an older recipient age (≥60 years), a male donor to a male recipient, a cytomegalovirus IgG-negative donor to a cytomegalovirus IgG-positive recipient, a poor cytogenetic risk, a noncomplete remission status at the time of transplantation, and a history of HCT were independently associated with worse overall survival (OS). Based on each hazard ratio, these factors were scored (1-2 points) and stratified by their total score into three groups: favorable (0-1 points), intermediate (2-3 points), and poor (4 points or more) groups, and 2-year OS rates were 79.9%, 49.2%, and 25.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed significant prognostic factors in haplo-HCT with PTCy, and a scoring system based on these factors may be used to predict outcomes.

Activation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 by muramyl dipeptide negatively regulates Toll-like receptor 9-mediated colonic inflammation through the induction of deubiquitinating enzyme A expression.

Mutations in nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) are associated with Crohn's disease (CD). Although NOD2 activation contributes to the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis through the negative regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine responses mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the effects of NOD2 activation on interferon (IFN)-α responses induced by TLR9 have been poorly defined. To explore the cross-talk between NOD2 and TLR9, human monocytes or dendritic cells (DCs) were stimulated with NOD2 and/or TLR9 ligands to measure IFN-α production. The severity of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis was compared in mice treated with NOD2 and/or TLR9 ligands. Expression of IFN-α and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) was examined in the colonic mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). NOD2 activation reduced TLR9-induced IFN-α production by monocytes and DCs in a deubiquitinating enzyme A (DUBA)-dependent manner. Activation of DUBA induced by the co-stimulation of TLR9 and NOD2 inhibited Lys63-linked polyubiquitination of TRAF3 and suppressed TLR9-mediated IFN-α production. NOD2 activation in hematopoietic cells protected mice from TLR9-induced exacerbation of DSS-induced colitis by down-regulating IFN-α responses and up-regulating DUBA expression. Colonic mucosa of patients with active and remitted IBD phases was characterized by the enhanced and reduced expression of ISGs, respectively. Expression levels of IFN-α and IL-6 positively correlated in the active colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis and CD, whereas DUBA expression inversely correlated with that of IFN-α in patients with CD. Collectively, these data suggest that DUBA-dependent negative effect of NOD2 on TLR9-mediated IFN-α responses contributes to the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis.

Reduced-intensity allogenic transplantation for children and adolescents with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Survival rates of patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL (Ph+ALL) have improved considerably with the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI); however, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) continues to play an important role. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens have been widely applied particularly for older patients, but their validity for children and adolescents with Ph+ALL has not been investigated. In this study, data from patients receiving HSCT for de novo Ph+ALL in first or second remission at ages younger than 25 years and with a history of pre-HSCT TKI therapy were retrospectively collected through the nationwide registry in Japan. In 265 patients who received myeloablative conditioning (MAC) and 33 patients receiving RIC, 5-year leukemia-free survival (LFS) rates were 67.3% and 79.8%, respectively (p = 0.142). Multivariate analysis of LFS, focusing on patients with good performance status, identified RIC as a significant prognostic factor for LFS (hazard ratio 0.32, p = 0.032), as well as older age, higher leukocyte count at diagnosis, and disease with additional chromosomal abnormalities. These trends were similar when we focused on patients who received prophylactic post-HSCT TKI treatment, as 5-year LFS was 81.0% for MAC and 84.4% for RIC (p = 0.748). In summary, HSCT with RIC regimen showed at least comparable LFS to HSCT with MAC regimen, and RIC was an independent favorable prognostic factor on multivariate analysis adjusting potential prognostic factors. While patient numbers were limited, our data suggest that RIC may be safely applied in this group, particularly combined with prophylactic post-HSCT TKI maintenance therapy.

Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Posaconazole in Japanese Patients Receiving Fungal Prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Posaconazole is a vital drug to treat and prevent invasive fungal infections. Several factors, such as sex, body weight, total serum proteins, dietary intake, and severe mucositis, affect posaconazole pharmacokinetics (PKs). However, the relevance of other factors that affect the PKs of posaconazole in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is unknown. This study explored factors influencing the PKs of posaconazole in HSCT recipients and nontransplant patients with hematological diseases. METHODS: The authors conducted a single-institution, retrospective study. Forty-two Japanese inpatients receiving oral posaconazole tablets as prophylaxis for fungal infections were enrolled in this study. A one-compartment model with first-order absorption was used as the structural pharmacokinetic model. A population PK (PopPK) analysis was performed using a nonlinear mixed-effects modeling program, using a first-order conditional estimation method with interactions. Perl-speaks-NONMEM and R were used to evaluate the goodness of fit and visualize the output. RESULTS: In 29% of the enrolled patients, the serum concentration of posaconazole was <0.5 mcg/mL, considered the effective range. PopPK analysis revealed that the patient had undergone HSCT within 1 year, diarrhea occurred more than 5 times a day, and aspartate aminotransferase were covariates that influenced apparent clearance (CL/F). The CL/F of posaconazole was 1.43-fold higher after HSCT and 1.26-fold higher during diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS: PopPK analysis revealed that HSCT, diarrhea, and aspartate aminotransferase were factors associated with the CL/F of posaconazole. The trough concentration of posaconazole may be below the therapeutic range in a few patients with diarrhea and/or after HSCT. As invasive fungal infections in patients with hematologic diseases can be life-threatening, therapeutic drug monitoring of posaconazole is strongly recommended, and patients should be carefully monitored.

[CAR T-cell therapy for malignant lymphoma].

Advances in understanding of the pathogenesis of B-cell lymphoma have led to development of various novel targeted therapies. Among them, CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies for relapsed and refractory B-cell lymphomas have shown remarkable efficacy in clinical trials, and three CAR T-cell products are now available in Japan. Real-world evidence (RWE) has shown that these products can provide comparable efficacy to clinical trials in clinical practice, where CAR T-cells were administered in patients with wider range of backgrounds. This finding will certainly broaden the role of CAR T-cell therapies in the treatment of B-cell lymphoma. However, since about half of the patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy progress thereafter, there is an urgent need for risk stratification and optimized management of refractory cases. Here, we review the results of clinical trials and RWE of CAR T-cell therapy in B-cell lymphoma.

Prognostic impact of complex and/or monosomal karyotypes in post-transplant poor cytogenetic acute myeloid leukaemia: A quantitative approach.

To evaluate the prognostic impact of complex karyotype (CK) and/or monosomal karyotype (MK) in combination with various clinical factors on allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) outcomes of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), we analysed the registry database of adult AML patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT between 2000 and 2019 in Japan. Among 16 094 patients, those with poor cytogenetic risk (N = 3345) showed poor overall survival (OS) after HSCT (25.3% at 5 years). Multivariate analyses revealed that CK and/or MK (hazard ratio [HR], 1.31 for CK without MK; 1.27 for MK without CK; and 1.73 for both), age at HSCT ≥50 years (HR, 1.58), male sex (HR, 1.40), performance status ≥2 (HR, 1.89), HCT-CI score ≥3 (HR, 1.23), non-remission status at HSCT (HR, 2.49), and time from diagnosis to HSCT ≥3 months (HR, 1.24) independently reduced post-HSCT OS among patients with poor cytogenetic risk AML. A risk scoring system based on the multivariate analysis successfully stratified patients into five distinct groups for OS. This study confirms the negative effects of CK and MK on post-HSCT outcomes, and offers a powerful risk scoring system for predicting prognoses after HSCT among AML patients with unfavourable cytogenetics.

Risk factors for CAR-T cell manufacturing failure among DLBCL patients: A nationwide survey in Japan.

For successful chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, CAR-T cells must be manufactured without failure caused by suboptimal expansion. In order to determine risk factors for CAR-T cell manufacturing failure, we performed a nationwide cohort study in Japan and analysed patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who underwent tisagenlecleucel production. We compared clinical factors between 30 cases that failed (7.4%) with those that succeeded (n = 378). Among the failures, the proportion of patients previously treated with bendamustine (43.3% vs. 14.8%; p < 0.001) was significantly higher, and their platelet counts (12.0 vs. 17.0 × 104 /µL; p = 0.01) and CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio (0.30 vs. 0.56; p < 0.01) in peripheral blood at apheresis were significantly lower than in the successful group. Multivariate analysis revealed that repeated bendamustine use with short washout periods prior to apheresis (odds ratio [OR], 5.52; p = 0.013 for ≥6 cycles with washout period of 3-24 months; OR, 57.09; p = 0.005 for ≥3 cycles with washout period of <3 months), low platelet counts (OR, 0.495 per 105 /µL; p = 0.022) or low CD4/CD8 ratios (

Benefits of plerixafor for mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells prior to autologous transplantation: a dual-center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Before autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), hematopoietic stem cells must be stimulated to move from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood for harvesting. Plerixafor, a C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 antagonist, is used to increase stem cell harvests. However, the effects of plerixafor on post-ASCT outcomes remain unclear. METHODS: In a dual-center retrospective cohort study of 43 Japanese patients who received ASCT, the authors compared transplantation outcomes in patients who underwent stem cell mobilization with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor with (n = 25) or without (n = 18) plerixafor. RESULTS: The number of days to neutrophil and platelet engraftment was significantly shorter with plerixafor than without plerixafor, as assessed by univariate (neutrophil, P = 0.004, platelet, P = 0.002), subgroup, propensity score matching and inverse probability weighting analyses. Although the cumulative incidence of fever was comparable with or without plerixafor (P = 0.31), that of sepsis was significantly lower with plerixafor than without (P < 0.01). Thus, the present data indicate that plerixafor leads to earlier neutrophil and platelet engraftment and a reduction of infectious risk. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that plerixafor may be safe to use and that it reduces the risk of infection in patients with a low CD34+ cell count the day before apheresis.

Adverse effect of donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies directed at HLA-DP/-DQ on engraftment in cord blood transplantation.

BACKGROUND AIMS: While donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSAs) in the recipient before transplantation are associated with graft failure in cord-blood transplantation (CBT), effects of DSAs other than against HLA-A, -B or -DRB1 on transplantation outcomes remained poorly understood. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 567 single-unit CBT recipients to evaluate impact of DSAs against HLA-DP and -DQ on CBT outcomes. RESULTS: Among 143 recipients (25.2%) who had anti-HLA antibodies, nine harbored DSAs against HLA-DP or -DQ. DSAs against HLA-DP or -DQ were associated with a significantly lower neutrophil engraftment rate (55.6% versus 91.8%, P = 0.032) and with a marginally lower platelet engraftment rate (46.7% versus 75.3%, P = 0.128) at day 100 after transplantation, compared with patients without anti-HLA antibodies. Time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment in patients with DSAs for HLA-DP or -DQ was significantly longer than that in patients without anti-HLA antibodies (median, 25 versus 21 days, P = 0.002 in neutrophil; median 61 versus 46 days, P = 0.014 in platelet). Cumulative incidence of bacterial infection at day 100 was significantly greater (88.9% versus 57.1%, P = 0.024), and re-transplant-free survival was marginally lower (55.6% versus 76.8%, P = 0.132) in patients with DSAs against HLA-DP or -DQ, compared with those without anti-HLA antibodies. These findings suggest that DSAs against HLA-DP or -DQ lead to unfavorable engraftment, which may increase risk of bacterial infection, and reduce survival soon after CBT. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the importance of evaluating DSAs against HLA-DP and -DQ in recipients before selecting CB units.

Effects of combined test dose and therapeutic drug monitoring strategy in exposure-directed busulfan.

Although exposure-directed busulfan (BU) dosing can improve allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcomes, there is still large variability in BU exposure with test dose alone due to changes in BU clearance caused by drug interactions. We conducted a single-arm phase II trial using the combined test dose and therapeutic drug monitoring strategy (PK-guided group) and compared the outcomes with an external historical cohort receiving a fixed-dose (fixed-dose group). The first eight and second eight doses were adjusted based on the area under the blood concentration-time curve (AUC) of the test and first doses, respectively, targeting a total AUC of 82.1 mg·h/L. All patients received either BU and cyclophosphamide conditioning (BU/CY) or fludarabine (FLU)-containing conditioning. The BU clearance at the first dose decreased more in patients receiving FLU than in those receiving BU/CY; however, BU clearance also declined over time in patients who received BU/CY. The simulated total AUC (sAUC) with test dose only was significantly higher in patients who received FLU than in those who received BU/CY, but sAUC with the combined strategy was comparable. The 100-day progression-free survival was 85.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 71.9-92.8%), and was not inferior to that in the fixed-dose group. For the FLU-containing regimens, the PK-guided group showed decreased relapse (0.0% vs. 26.9%, p = 0.03), and favorable overall survival (75.1% vs. 57.0%, p = 0.07) at 1 year. The combined strategy effectively controlled the BU exposure close to the target levels, potentially improving efficacy, especially in patients receiving the FLU-containing regimen. Clinical evaluation of efficacy of dose-modified intravenous busulfan in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancy (#UMIN000014077, June 15th, 2014).

Poor outcome of allogeneic transplantation for therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia induced by prior chemoradiotherapy.

Therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) is a therapeutic challenge as a late complication of chemotherapy (CHT) and/or radiotherapy (RT) for primary malignancy. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) presents itself as a curative approach. To establish the optimal allo-HSCT strategy for t-AML, we evaluated the relationship between characteristics of primary malignancy and allo-HSCT outcomes. Patients with t-AML or de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who underwent first allo-HSCT in Japan from 2011 to 2018 were identified using a nationwide database. The detailed background of t-AML was obtained by additional questionnaires. Multivariate analysis and propensity score matching (PSM) analysis were performed to detect the prognostic factors associated with t-AML and compare outcomes with de novo AML. We analyzed 285 t-AML and 6761 de novo AML patients. In patients with t-AML, receiving both CHT and RT for primary malignancy was an independent poor-risk factor for relapse and overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio (HR) 1.62; p = 0.029 and HR 1.65; p = 0.009, reference: CHT alone group), whereas other primary malignancy-related factors had no effect on the outcome. Compared to the CHT alone group, complex karyotypes were significantly increased in the CHT + RT group (86.1% vs. 57.5%, p = 0.007). In the PSM cohort, t-AML patients with prior CHT and RT had significantly worse 3-year OS than those with de novo AML (25.2% and 42.7%; p = 0.009). Our results suggest that prior CHT and RT for primary malignancy may be associated with increased relapse and worse OS of allo-HSCT in t-AML.

[Management of adverse events of CAR-T therapy].

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has strong efficacy as well as characteristic complications. Although overshadowed by the glaring clinical picture of cytokine releasing syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, there are many other side effects that are important to manage. In this article, CAR-T-specific adverse events will be reviewed based on the actual clinical experience.

[Manufacturing results of tisagenlecleucel for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a survey by the CAR-T cell therapy taskforce of the Japan Society of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy].

The frequency of the manufacturing failure of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy in clinical practice is unknown. To clarify the current state of how likely CAR-T cell production is to succeed or fail for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), we analyzed cases in which the production of tisagenlecleucel was performed for patients with B-ALL at 15 facilities in Japan from October 2019 to March 2022. Total 81 patients (47 males and 34 females) were analyzed. The median age at apheresis was 13 years (1-25) with a median number of prior treatments of 4 (1-9). The numbers of patients with histories of allogeneic transplantation, inotuzumab ozogamicin, or blinatumomab treatments were 51 (63.0%), 26 (32.1%), and 37 (45.7%), respectively. The median blast percentage and CD3+ cell counts in peripheral blood were 0% (0-91.5), and 611/µl (35-4,210) at apheresis, and the median number of CD3+ cells shipped was 2.2×109 (0.5-8.3). While cases with a history of heavy prior treatment before apheresis were included, no manufacturing failures were observed. Continuing to monitor the status of manufacturing failures is necessary as the number of B-ALL cases treated with CAR-T cell therapy increases.

Expression levels of cellular inhibitor of apoptosis proteins and colitogenic cytokines are inversely correlated with the activation of interferon regulatory factor 4.

Cellular inhibitors of apoptosis proteins 1 (cIAP1) and 2 (cIAP2) are involved in signaling pathways mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Excessive activation of TLRs and TNF-α underlies the immunopathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the roles played by cIAP1 and cIAP2 in the development of CD and UC remain poorly understood. In this study, we attempted to clarify the molecular link between cIAP1/cIAP2 and colonic inflammation. Human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) treated with siRNAs specific for cIAP1 or cIAP2 exhibited reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine responses upon stimulation with TLR ligands. Expression of cIAP1 and cIAP2 in human DCs was suppressed in the presence of interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4). This effect was associated with inhibition of cIAP1 and cIAP2 polyubiquitination. To verify these in vitro findings, we created mice overexpressing IRF4 in DCs and showed that these mice were resistant to trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis as compared with wild-type mice; these effects were accompanied by reduced expression levels of cIAP1 and cIAP2. Pro-inflammatory cytokine production by mesenteric lymph node cells upon stimulation with TLR ligands was reduced in mice with DC-specific IRF4 overexpression as compared with that in wild-type mice. Finally, in clinical samples of the colonic mucosa from patients with CD, there was a negative relationship between the percentage of IRF4+ DCs and percentages of cIAP1+ or cIAP2+ lamina propria mononuclear cells. These data suggest that the colitogenic roles of cIAP1 and cIAP2 are negatively regulated by IRF4.

Development of a quantitative prediction model for peripheral blood stem cell collection yield in the plerixafor era.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Predicting autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection yield before leukapheresis is important for optimizing PBSC mobilization and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for treating hematological malignancies. Although guidelines for plerixafor usage based on peripheral blood CD34+ (PB-CD34+) cell count are available, their predictive performance in the real world remains unclear. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed 55 mobilization procedures for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma or multiple myeloma and developed a novel quantitative prediction model for CD34+ cell collection yield that incorporated four clinical parameters available the day before leukapheresis; namely, PB-CD34+ cell count the day before apheresis (day -1 PB-CD34+), number of prior chemotherapy regimens, disease status at apheresis and mobilization protocol. RESULTS: The effects of PB-CD34+ cell counts on CD34+ cell collection yield varied widely per patient characteristics, and plerixafor usage was recommended in patients with poorly controlled disease or those with a history of heavy pre-treatments even with abundant day -1 PB-CD34+ cell count. This model suggested a more proactive use of plerixafor than that recommended by the guidelines for patients with poor pre-collection condition or those with a higher target number of CD34+ cells. Further, the authors analyzed the clinical outcomes of ASCT and found that plerixafor use for stem cell mobilization did not affect short- or long-term outcomes after ASCT. CONCLUSIONS: Although external validations are necessary, the results can be beneficial for establishing more effective and safer mobilization strategies.

Overcoming minimal residual disease using intensified conditioning with medium-dose etoposide, cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation in allogeneic stem cell transplantation for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults.

BACKGROUND AIMS: An intensified conditioning regimen incorporating medium-dose etoposide (VP16) is an option for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, the prognostic impacts of the addition of VP16 to cyclophosphamide (CY) and total body irradiation (TBI) in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) ALL with regard to minimal residual disease (MRD) status have not been elucidated. METHODS: The authors retrospectively compared the outcomes of patients with Ph+ ALL who underwent allogeneic transplantation following VP16/CY/TBI (n = 101) and CY/TBI (n = 563). RESULTS: At 4 years, the VP16/CY/TBI group exhibited significantly better disease-free survival (DFS) (72.6% versus 61.7%, P = 0.027) and relapse rate (11.5% versus 21.1%, P = 0.020) and similar non-relapse mortality (16.0% versus 17.2%, P = 0.70). In subgroup analyses, the beneficial effects of the addition of VP16 on DFS were more evident in patients with positive MRD status (71.2% versus 48.4% at 4 years, P = 0.022) than those with negative MRD status (72.8% versus 66.7% at 4 years, P = 0.24). Although MRD positivity was significantly associated with worse DFS in patients who received CY/TBI (48.4% versus 66.7%, P < 0.001), this was not the case in those who received VP16/CY/TBI (71.2% versus 72.8%, P = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the benefits of the addition of VP16 in Ph+ ALL patients, especially those with positive MRD status. VP16/CY/TBI could be a potential strategy to overcome the survival risk of MRD positivity.

Advantages of peripheral blood stem cells from unrelated donors versus bone marrow transplants in outcomes of adult acute myeloid leukemia patients.

BACKGROUND AIMS: In allogeneic stem cell transplantation, unrelated donors are chosen in cases where appropriate related donors are not available. Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) are more often selected as a graft source than bone marrow (BM). However, the prognostic benefits of PBSCs versus BM transplants from unrelated donors have not been carefully examined in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study compared outcomes of adult AML patients who underwent unrelated PBSC and BM transplantation, evaluating post-transplant complications, including engraftment, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and infections, and determined subgroups of patients who are most likely to benefit from unrelated PBSCs compared with BM transplants. METHODS: The authors analyzed 2962 adult AML patients who underwent unrelated PBSC or BM transplants between 2011 and 2018 (221 PBSC and 2741 BM) using the Japanese nationwide registry database, in which graft source selection is not skewed toward PBSCs. RESULTS: In 49.7% of patients, disease status at transplantation was first complete remission (CR1). In 57.1% of cases, HLA-matched donors were selected. Myeloablative conditioning was performed in 75.1% of cases, and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) was added to conditioning in 10.5%. Multivariate analyses showed a trend toward favorable non-relapse mortality (NRM) in PBSC recipients compared with BM recipients (hazard ratio [HR], 0.731, P = 0.096), whereas overall survival (OS) (HR, 0.959, P = 0.230) and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR, 0.868, P = 0.221) were comparable between PBSC and BM recipients. Although the rate of chronic GVHD (cGVHD) was significantly higher in PBSC patients (HR, 1.367, P = 0.016), NRM was not increased, mainly as a result of significantly reduced risk of bacterial infections (HR, 0.618, P = 0.010), reflecting more prompt engraftments in PBSC recipients. Subgroup analyses revealed that PBSC transplantation was advantageous in patients transplanted at CR1 and in those without ATG use. PBSC recipients experienced significantly better OS and/or DFS compared with BM recipients in this patient group. CONCLUSIONS: The authors' results confirmed the overall safety of unrelated PBSC transplantation for adult AML patients and suggested an advantage of PBSCs, especially for those in CR1. Further optimization of the prophylactic strategy for cGVHD is required to improve the overall outcome in transplantation from unrelated PBSC donors.