Background: High-risk acute leukemia (AL) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) remain a therapeutic challenge. Unmanipulated haploidentical-related donor transplantation based on a myeloablative conditioning regimen (HAPLO-MAC) and post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) as prophylaxis against graft vs host disease (GvHD) is now a promising rescue strategy that could become universally available.
Objective: To evaluate the results of HAPLO-MAC with PT-Cy in patients with AL and MDS reported to the Haploidentical Transplantation Subcommittee of the Spanish Group for Hematopoietic Transplantation (GETH).
Patients and methods: We report our multicenter experience using an IV busulfan-based HAPLO-MAC regimen and PT-Cy for treatment of 65 adults with high-risk AL and MDS.
Results: Engraftment was recorded in 64 patients (98.5%), with a median time to neutrophil and platelet recovery of 16 and 27 days, respectively. The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute GvHD and chronic GvHD was 28.6% and 27.5%, respectively. After a median follow-up of 31 months for survivors, the cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality and relapse at 2 years was 18.8% and 25%, respectively. Estimated 30-month event-free survival and overall survival were 56% and 54.5%, respectively.
Conclusion: HAPLO-MAC comprising an IV busulfan-based conditioning regimen enabled long-term disease control with acceptable toxicity in high-risk AL and MDS.
Keywords: acute leukemia; haploidentical transplantation; myeloablative conditioning; myelodysplastic syndromes; post-transplant cyclophosphamide.
© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.