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Allogeneic Blood or Marrow Transplantation with Post-transplantation Cyclophosphamide for Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma: The Importance of Graft Source
Sterling, C. H., Hughes, M. S., Tsai, H. L., Yarkony, K., Fuchs, E. J., Swinnen, L. J., Paul, S., Bolaños-Meade, J., Luznik, L., Imus, P. H., et al
Transplantation and cellular therapy. 2022
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) for graft-versus host-disease (GVHD) prophylaxis has revolutionized allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT), but there is limited published experience in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). OBJECTIVES We sought to assess outcomes in patients with PTCL who underwent alloBMT with PTCy. STUDY DESIGN We reviewed the charts of all adult patients aged 18 years or older who underwent alloBMT with non-myeloablative conditioning and PTCy-based GVHD prophylaxis at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center between January 2004 and December 2020. RESULTS Sixty-five patients were identified. The median age was 59 years (range, 24-75 years). Lymphoma histology included PTCL-not otherwise specified (n=24), ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (n=14), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (n=7), enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (n=6), hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (n=4), and other (n=10). Eleven patients were in first complete remission (CR1, 17%). The remaining patients were in first partial remission (PR1) or underwent salvage therapy to at least PR prior to transplant. Forty-eight patients received an alloBMT from a haploidentical related donor (74%), 10 from a fully matched donor (15%), and 7 from a mismatched unrelated donor (mMUD, 11%). All patients received fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and total body irradiation (TBI). The graft source was bone marrow (BM) in 46 patients (71%) and peripheral blood (PB) in 19 patients (29%); all patients in the BM cohort received 200 cGy TBI, and most in the PB cohort (15/19) received 400 cGy TBI. GVHD prophylaxis was PTCy, mycophenolate mofetil, and a calcineurin inhibitor or sirolimus. With a median follow up of 2.8 years (range, 290 days-14.2 years), the 2-year PFS for the entire cohort was 49% (95% confidence interval [CI] 38-64%), and the 2-year OS was 55% (95% CI 44-69%). Outcomes were significantly improved in those receiving PB compared to BM, including 2-year PFS of 79% (95% CI 63-100%) vs. 39% (95% CI 27-56%), 2-year OS of 84% (95% CI 69-100%) vs. 46% (95% CI 33-63%), and 1-year cumulative incidence of (CuI) relapse of 5% (95% CI 0-16%) vs. 33% (95% CI 19-46%), with no difference in GVHD or non-relapse mortality (NRM). CONCLUSIONS AlloBMT with PTCy is safe and well-tolerated in patients with PTCL. Our data suggest increasing TBI dose to 400 cGy and using PB allografts may offer improved disease control and better survival outcomes, though additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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Posttransplantation Cyclophosphamide-based Graft versus Host Disease Prophylaxis with Non-myeloablative Conditioning for Blood or Marrow Transplantation for Myelofibrosis
Jain, T., Tsai, H. L., DeZern, A. E., Gondek, L. P., Elmariah, H., Bolaños-Meade, J., Luznik, L., Fuchs, E., Ambinder, R., Gladstone, D. E., et al
Transplantation and cellular therapy. 2022
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Editor's Choice
Abstract
We describe outcomes with posttransplantation cyclophosphamide and non-myeloablative conditioning based allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation for myelofibrosis using matched or mismatched, family or unrelated donors. The conditioning regimen consisted of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation. Forty-two patients, with a median age of 63 years, were included, of whom 19% had intermediate-1, 60% had intermediate-2, and 21% had high-risk DIPSS-plus disease, and 60% had atleast one high-risk somatic mutation. Over 90% patients engrafted neutrophils at a median of 19.5 days and 7% had graft failure. At 1 and 3-years, respectively, the overall survival was 65% and 60%, relapse-free survival was 65% and 31%, relapse was 5% and 40%, and non-relapse mortality was 30% and 30%. Acute graft versus host disease grade 3-4 was noted in 17% at 1 year and chronic graft versus host disease requiring systemic therapy in 12% patients. Spleen size ≥ 17 cm or prior splenectomy was associated with inferior relapse-free survival (HR 3.50, 95% CI 1.18-10.37, P=0.02) and higher relapse rate (SDHR not calculable, P=0.01). Age > 60 years (SDHR 0.26, 95% CI: 0.08-0.80, P=0.02) and peripheral blood graft (SDHR 0.34, 95% CI 0.11-0.99, P=0.05) was associated with lower risk of relapse. In our limited sample, the presence of a high-risk mutation was not statistically significantly associated with an inferior outcome although ASXL1 was suggestive of inferior survival (SDHR 2.36. 95% CI 0.85-6.6, P=0.09). Overall, this approach shows comparable outcomes as previously reported and underscores the importance of spleen size in evaluation of transplant candidates.
PICO Summary
Population
Patients with high-risk Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS)-plus myelofibrosis (n=42)
Intervention
Matched or mismatched allogeneic transplantation with non-myeloablative conditioning, and post-transplant cyclophosphamide
Comparison
None
Outcome
Over 90% patients engrafted neutrophils at a median of 19.5 days and 7% had graft failure. At 1 and 3-years, respectively, the overall survival was 65% and 60%, relapse-free survival was 65% and 31%, relapse was 5% and 40%, and non-relapse mortality was 30% and 30%. Acute graft versus host disease grade 3-4 was noted in 17% at 1 year and chronic graft versus host disease requiring systemic therapy in 12% patients. Spleen size ≥ 17 cm or prior splenectomy was associated with inferior relapse-free survival (HR 3.50, 95% CI 1.18-10.37) and higher relapse rate (SDHR not calculable). Age > 60 years (SDHR 0.26, 95% CI: 0.08-0.80) and peripheral blood graft (SDHR 0.34, 95% CI 0.11-0.99) was associated with lower risk of relapse. In our limited sample, the presence of a high-risk mutation was not statistically significantly associated with an inferior outcome although ASXL1 was suggestive of inferior survival (SDHR 2.36. 95% CI 0.85-6.6).
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Allogeneic Blood or Marrow Transplantation with High-Dose Post-transplantation Cyclophosphamide for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Patients Aged ≥55
Webster, J. A., Reed, M., Tsai, H. L., Ambinder, A., Jain, T., Dezern, A. E., Levis, M. J., Showel, M. M., Prince, G. T., Hourigan, C. S., et al
Transplantation and cellular therapy. 2022
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients ≥55 years-old with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) fare poorly with conventional chemotherapy with 5-year overall survival of ∼20%. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors and novel B-cell targeted therapies improve outcomes, but rates of relapse and death in remission remain high. Allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (AlloBMT) provides an alternative consolidation strategy, and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) facilitates HLA-mismatched transplants with low rates of non-relapse mortality (NRM) and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). METHODS The transplant database at Johns Hopkins was queried for patients ≥ 55 years old who received alloBMT for ALL using PTCy. FINDINGS The database included 77 such patients. Most received reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) (88.3%), were in first remission (CR1) (85.7%), and had B-lineage disease (90.9%). For the entire cohort, 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were 46% (95% CI 34-57) and 49% (95% CI 37-60). Grade 3-4 acute GVHD occurred in only 3% of patients and chronic GVHD in 13%. In multivariable analysis, myeloablative conditioning led to worse RFS (HR 4.65, p=0.001); while transplant in CR1 (HR 0.30, p=0.004), and transplant for Ph+ ALL vs. T ALL (HR 0.29, p=0.03) improved RFS. Of the 54 patients who received RIC alloBMT in CR1 for B ALL, 5-year RFS and OS were 62% (95% CI 47-74) and 65% (95% CI 51-77), respectively, with a 5-year relapse incidence of 16% (95% CI 7-27) and NRM of 24% (95% CI 13-36). INTERPRETATION RIC AlloBMT with PTCy in CR1 represents a promising consolidation strategy for B ALL patients ≥ 55 years old. FUNDING NIH grants P01 CA225618 and P30 CA06973.
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"Allogeneic blood or marrow transplant with non-myeloablative conditioning and high dose cyclophosphamide-based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis for secondary central nervous system lymphoma"
Sterling, C. H., Tsai, H. L., Holdhoff, M., Bolaños-Meade, J., Luznik, L., Fuchs, E. J., Huff, C. A., Gocke, C. B., Ali, S. A., Borrello, I. M., et al
Transplantation and cellular therapy. 2021
Abstract
Secondary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is a rare and often fatal complication of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Treatment options include radiation therapy, high-dose systemic chemotherapy, intrathecal chemotherapy, and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue, but outcomes remain poor. Allogeneic blood or marrow transplant (alloBMT) is widely used in relapsed/refractory systemic NHL. We sought to understand whether a graft-versus-lymphoma effect could maintain remission in CNS disease. Here we review outcomes in 20 consecutive patients with secondary CNS lymphoma who underwent alloBMT with non-myeloablative conditioning using fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and 200cGy total-body irradiation. For graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, all patients received post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy), mycophenolate mofetil, and a calcineurin inhibitor. With a median follow up of 4.1 years, the median overall survival for the entire cohort was not reached. Median progression-free survival was 3.8 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.3 months - not reached). The cumulative incidence of relapse was 25% (95% CI 5-45%), and non-relapse mortality was 30% (95% CI 5-54%) at 4 years. Of the 5 patients who relapsed, 2 were CNS only, 1 was systemic only, and 2 were combined CNS / systemic. The use of alloBMT in CNS lymphoma deserves further investigation.
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5.
Thrombotic Microangiopathy after Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide-Based Graft-versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis
Imus, P. H., Tsai, H. L., DeZern, A. E., Jerde, K., Swinnen, L. J., Bolaños-Meade, J., Luznik, L., Fuchs, E. J., Wagner-Johnston, N., Huff, C. A., et al
Biology of blood and marrow transplantation : journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2020
Abstract
Transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (taTMA) is a systemic vascular illness associated with significant morbidity and mortality, resulting from a convergence of risk factors after allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT). The diagnosis of taTMA has been a challenge, but most criteria include an elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), low haptoglobin, and schistocytes on peripheral blood smear. We performed a retrospective review of the 678 consecutive adults who received high-dose post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-based graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) between January 1, 2015, and August 31, 2018. In April 2016, we initiated a monitoring program of weekly LDH and haptoglobin measurements and blood smears when those 2 parameters were both abnormal on all of our adult patients undergoing alloBMT for hematologic malignancies. During the entire period, the 1-year cumulative incidence of taTMA was 1.4% (95% confidence interval, 0.5% to 2.3%). Eight patients were taking tacrolimus at the time of diagnosis, and 1 was not on any immunosuppression. Eight of 9 patients (89%) were hypertensive. Four patients had invasive infections at the time of diagnosis, 4 patients required renal replacement therapy, and 5 of 9 patients were neurologically impaired. Eculizumab was given to 6 patients (0.9%), of whom 2 died and 4 recovered with resolution of end-organ dysfunction. The paucity of events made the determination of risk factors difficult; however, the low incidence of taTMA in this cohort may be related to the limited use of myeloablative conditioning regimens, low incidence of severe GVHD, and use of PTCy. PTCy-based GVHD prophylaxis appears to be associated with a low incidence of severe taTMA.
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Allogeneic transplantation for Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia with posttransplantation cyclophosphamide
Webster, J. A., Luznik, L., Tsai, H. L., Imus, P. H., DeZern, A. E., Pratz, K. W., Levis, M. J., Gojo, I., Showel, M. M., Prince, G., et al
Blood advances. 2020;4(20):5078-5088
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Editor's Choice
Abstract
Allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT) is standard of care for adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in first complete remission (CR1). The routine pretransplant and posttransplant use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has dramatically improved outcomes, but the optimal conditioning regimen, donor type, and TKI remain undefined. The bone marrow transplant database at Johns Hopkins was queried for adult patients with de novo Ph+ ALL who received alloBMT using posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) as a component of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis from 2008 to 2018. Among transplants for Ph+ ALL, 69 (85%) were performed in CR1, and 12 (15%) were performed in second or greater remission (CR2+). The majority of transplants (58%) were HLA haploidentical. Nearly all patients (91.4%) initiated TKI posttransplant. For patients in CR1, the 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was 66%. The use of nonmyeloablative conditioning, absence of measurable residual disease (MRD) according to flow cytometry at transplant, and the use of dasatinib vs imatinib at diagnosis were associated with improved overall survival (OS) and RFS. Neither donor type nor recipient age ≥60 years affected RFS. When analyzing all transplants, alloBMT in CR1 (vs CR2+) and the absence of pretransplant MRD were associated with improved RFS. Most relapses were associated with the emergence of kinase domain mutations. The cumulative incidence of grade 3 to 4 acute GVHD at 1 year was 9%, and moderate to severe chronic GVHD at 2 years was 8%. Nonmyeloablative alloBMT with PTCy for Ph+ ALL in an MRD-negative CR1 after initial treatment with dasatinib yields favorable outcomes.
PICO Summary
Population
Adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) undergoing allogeneic transplantation (n=76)
Intervention
Myeloablative conditioning in first complete remission (CR1 MAC, n=26); Non-myeloablative conditioning in first complete remission (CR1 NMAC, n=43)
Comparison
Patients in second or subsequent remission (CR2+, n=12)
Outcome
For patients in CR1, the 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was 66%. The use of nonmyeloablative conditioning, absence of measurable residual disease (MRD) according to flow cytometry at transplant, and the use of dasatinib vs imatinib at diagnosis were associated with improved overall survival (OS) and RFS. Neither donor type nor recipient age ≥60 years affected RFS. When analyzing all transplants, alloBMT in CR1 (vs CR2+) and the absence of pretransplant MRD were associated with improved RFS. Most relapses were associated with the emergence of kinase domain mutations. The cumulative incidence of grade 3 to 4 acute GVHD at 1 year was 9%, and moderate to severe chronic GVHD at 2 years was 8%.
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Severe cytokine release syndrome after haploidentical peripheral blood transplantation
Imus, P. H., Blackford, A. L., Bettinotti, M., Luznik, L., Fuchs, E. J., Huff, C. A., Gladstone, D. E., Ambinder, R. F., Borrello, I. M., Fuchs, R. J., et al
Biology of blood and marrow transplantation : journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2019
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Inflammatory cytokines released by activated lymphocytes and innate cells in the context of cellular therapy can cause fever, vasodilatation and end organ damage, so-called cytokine release syndrome (CRS). CRS can occur after allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation, but especially after HLA-haploidentical (haplo) peripheral blood transplantation (PBT). We reviewed charts of all patients who underwent haplo PBT between October 1, 2013 and September 1, 2017 and graded CRS. A total of 146 consecutive related haplo PBTs were analyzed. CRS occurred in 130 (89%) of the patients, but most was of mild (Grades 0-2) severity. Severe CRS (Grades 3-5) occurred in 25 patients (17% of PB haploPBT). In this group with severe CRS, 13 had encephalopathy; 12 required hemodialysis, and 11 were intubated. Death from the immediate complications of CRS occurred in 6 patients (24% of the severe CRS group and 4% of the entire haplo PBT cohort). The cumulative probability of non-relapse mortality (NRM) for patients with severe CRS was 38% at 6 months; it was 8% in the 121 out of 146 patients without severe CRS. In conclusion, CRS occurs in nearly 90% of haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplants. Older recipients (OR 2.4, 95% CI 0.83-6.75, p=0.11) of haploidentical PBT and those with a history of XRT (OR=3.85, 95% CI 1.32-11.24, p=0.01) have a higher risk of developing severe CRS. Most recipients of haplo PBT develop CRS, but less than 20% experience severe complications. The development of severe CRS significantly increases NRM.
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Haploidentical transplantation using posttransplant cyclophosphamide as GVHD prophylaxis in patients over age 70
Imus, P. H., Tsai, H. L., Luznik, L., Fuchs, E. J., Huff, C. A., Gladstone, D. E., Lowery, P., Ambinder, R. F., Borrello, I. M., Swinnen, L. J., et al
Blood advances. 2019;3(17):2608-2616
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Editor's Choice
Abstract
Hematologic malignancies in older people are unlikely to be cured with chemotherapy alone. Advances in allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT), especially nonmyeloablative (NMA) conditioning and the use of haploidentical donors, now make this therapy available to older people; however, long-term outcomes and predictors of success are unclear. We reviewed the outcomes of 93 consecutive patients aged 70 and older (median, 72; range, 70-78), who underwent haploidentical BMT at Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1 September 2009 and 1 April 2018. All patients received NMA conditioning and posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. The 2-year overall survival was 53%, and 2-year event-free survival was 43%. The 180-day cumulative incidence (CuI) of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 14%, and the 2-year CuI was 27%. The 2-year CuI of relapse was 30%. Of 78 patients who were alive and had their weight recorded on day 180, weight loss predicted subsequent NRM (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.0; 95% CI, 1-1.13; P = .048). In conclusion, haploidentical BMT with PTCy is feasible and relatively safe in septuagenarians. Although early, 6-month NRM was relatively low at 14%, but overall NRM continued to climb to 27% at 2 years, at least in part because of late deaths that appeared to be somewhat age related. Further studies to elucidate predictors of NRM are warranted.
PICO Summary
Population
Consecutive patients older than 70 years with haematological malignancies (n=93)
Intervention
Haploidentical BMT with post-transplant cyclophosphamide GvHD prophylaxis
Comparison
None
Outcome
The 2-year overall survival was 53%, and 2-year event-free survival was 43%. The 180-day cumulative incidence (CuI) of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 14%, and the 2-year CuI was 27%. The 2-year CuI of relapse was 30%. Of 78 patients who were alive and had their weight recorded on day 180, weight loss predicted subsequent NRM.
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Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplantation with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Using Non-First-Degree Related Donors
Elmariah, H., Kasamon, Y. L., Zahurak, M., Macfarlane, K. W., Tucker, N., Rosner, G. L., Bolanos-Meade, J., Fuchs, E. J., Wagner-Johnston, N., Swinnen, L. J., et al
Biology of blood and marrow transplantation : journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2018
Abstract
Outcomes of nonmyeloablative (NMA) haploidentical (haplo) blood or marrow transplant (BMT) with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) using non-first-degree relatives are unknown. We evaluated 33 consecutive adult patients (median age 56 years) with hematologic malignancies who underwent NMA haplo T-cell replete BMT with PTCy at Johns Hopkins using second- or third-degree related donors. Donors consisted of 10 nieces (30%), 9 nephews (27%), 7 first cousins (21%), 5 grandchildren (15%), and 2 uncles (6%). Thirty-one patients (94%) reached full donor chimerism by day 60. The estimated cumulative incidence (CuI) of grade II-IV acute GVHD (aGVHD) at day 180 was 24% (90% CI: 9-38%). Only 1 patient experienced grade III-IV aGVHD. At 1 year, the CuI of chronic GVHD was 10% (90% CI: 0-21%). The CuI of nonrelapse mortality at 1 year was 5% (90% CI: 0-14%). At 1 year, the probability of relapse was 31% (90% CI: 12-49%), progression-free survival was 64% (90% CI: 48-86%) and overall survival was 95% (90% CI: 87-100%). The 1-year probability of GVHD-free, relapse free survival was 57% (90% CI: 41-79%). NMA haplo BMT with PTCy from non-first-degree relatives is an acceptably safe and effective alternative donor platform, with results similar to those seen with first degree relatives.