Determinants of survival in myelofibrosis patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

Leukemia. 2021 Jan;35(1):215-224. doi: 10.1038/s41375-020-0815-z. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the determinants of survival in myelofibrosis patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) and to describe factors predicting the main post-HCT complications. This retrospective study by the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation included 2916 myelofibrosis patients who underwent first allo-HCT from an HLA-identical sibling or unrelated donor between 2000 and 2016. After a median follow-up of 4.7 years from transplant, projected median survival of the series was 5.3 years. Factors independently associated with increased mortality were age ≥ 60 years and Karnofsky Performance Status <90% at transplant, and occurrence of graft failure, grades III-IV acute graft-vs.-host disease (aGVHD), and disease progression/relapse during follow-up. The opposing effects of chronic graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) on non-relapse mortality and relapse incidence resulted in a neutral influence on survival. Graft failure increased in unrelated donor recipients and decreased with myeloablative conditioning (MAC) and negative donor/recipient cytomegalovirus serostatus. Risk of grades III-IV aGVHD was higher with unrelated donors and decreased with MAC. Relapse incidence tended to be higher in patients with intermediate-2/high-risk DIPSS categories and to decrease in CALR-mutated patients. Acute and chronic GVHD reduced the subsequent risk of relapse. This information has potential implications for patient counseling and clinical decision-making.

MeSH terms

  • Europa
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* / methods
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / diagnosis
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / epidemiology
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / mortality*
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / therapy*
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Recurrence
  • Registries
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome