Comparative outcome of reduced intensity and myeloablative conditioning regimen in HLA identical sibling allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia patients: a single center experience

Transfus Apher Sci. 2013 Dec;49(3):590-9. doi: 10.1016/j.transci.2013.07.030. Epub 2013 Aug 8.

Abstract

Due to the high transplant related morbidity and mortality (TRM), relatively younger acute leukemia patients that have a good performance status and no comorbidity are eligible for myeloablative conditioning (MAC) followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The outcomes of 84 consecutive adult patients with ALL (n=38) or AML (n=46) who underwent allo-HSCT from their HLA-identical siblings were evaluated retrospectively. The median age at transplantation was 34 (17-58 years) for the whole patient population. Of these, 24 patients received a MAC and 60 patients received a fludarabine-based reduced intensity conditioning regimen (RIC). After a median follow-up of 32 months (range, 1-119), for the entire group, the 3-year estimated overall survival (OS) was 57.5% and the disease-free survival (DFS) was 51.5%. The OS for ALL and AML patients were 53.9% vs 62.1%: and DFS were 50.5% and 53.4%, respectively. The 3-year estimated OS for RIC and MAC patients were 63.2% and 41.7%; and DFS were 57.1% and 34.7%, respectively. In ALL patients, conditioning regimens (RIC vs MAC) led to similar OS and DFS; however, in AML patients both OS (70.1% vs 21.4%) and DFS (59.3% vs 42.9%) were found to be higher in RIC patients compared to MAC recipients. Overall, the TRM at day 100 was 1.7% and has increased up to 5.1% at 1st year. In multivariate analysis, the diagnosis (p=0.03) and RIC regimen (p=0.027) were the prognostic variables for prolonged OS in all patients; and RIC regimen (p=0.031) was the only prognostic factor for prolonged OS in AML patients. The first complete remission (CR1) was correlated with a prolonged DFS as an independent variable for all patients (p=0.09). Eleven of the RIC patients (18.3%) and 6 of the MAC patients (25%) developed acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Seventeen of the RIC patients (33.3%) and 4 of the MAC patients (16.7%) developed chronic GvHD. In conclusion, RIC conditioning regimens may provide a longer OS and DFS, especially in patients with AML who are in first CR, not eligible for MAC conditioning.

Keywords: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Graft-versus-host disease; Myeloablative conditioning regimen; Reduced intensity conditioning regimen.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / drug therapy
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / surgery*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Siblings
  • Tissue Donors
  • Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects
  • Transplantation Conditioning / methods*
  • Transplantation, Autologous
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult