Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

Int J Hematol. 2007 Aug;86(2):118-25. doi: 10.1532/IJH97.07070.

Abstract

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) develops in elderly individuals who have been infected with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), and the prognosis for patients with ATLL has been extremely poor. Retrospective studies of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) for selected populations of patients have achieved several encouraging results; however, the reported incidence of transplantation-related mortality (TRM) have been high, even though more than 80% of patients received stem cells from related donors and the patients were relatively young for ATLL. This report documents a prospective feasibility study of alloSCT with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIST) for elderly ATLL patients (>50 years). Regimen-related toxicities and nonhematologic toxicities were acceptable. Fourteen of 15 evaluable patients achieved complete donor chimerism within 90 days, and 1 patient had early TRM after RIST. The HTLV-1 proviral load became undetectable in 8 of 15 patients, suggesting that RIST has potential as an antiviral treatment. The results of alloSCT are promising, and 30% to 40% of patients who achieve remission and have suitable donors can now become long-term survivors with either conventional alloSCT or RIST. It is clear that a graft-versus-ATLL effect is present after alloSCT, regardless of the conditioning regimen or the stem cell source.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Remission Induction
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Transplantation Conditioning / methods
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Load