-
1.
Busulfan-fludarabine- or treosulfan-fludarabine-based myeloablative conditioning for children with thalassemia major
Lüftinger, R., Zubarovskaya, N., Galimard, J. E., Cseh, A., Salzer, E., Locatelli, F., Algeri, M., Yesilipek, A., de la Fuente, J., Isgrò, A., et al
Annals of hematology. 2022
Abstract
Significant advances in supportive care for patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia major (TDT) have improved patients' life expectancy. However, transfusion-associated iron overload remains a significant barrier to long-term survival with good quality of life. Today, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the current curative standard of care. Alongside selection of the best available donor, an optimized conditioning regimen is crucial to maximize outcomes for patients with TDT undergoing HSCT. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to investigate the role of busulfan-fludarabine-based and treosulfan-fludarabine-based conditioning in TDT patients undergoing HSCT. We included 772 patients registered in the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) database who underwent first HSCT between 2010 and 2018. Four hundred ten patients received busulfan-fludarabine-based conditioning (median age 8.6 years) and 362 patients received treosulfan-fludarabine-based conditioning (median age 5.7 years). Patient outcomes were retrospectively compared by conditioning regimen. Two-year overall survival was 92.7% (95% confidence interval: 89.3-95.1%) after busulfan-fludarabine-based conditioning and 94.7% (95% confidence interval: 91.7-96.6%) after treosulfan-fludarabine-based conditioning. There was a very low incidence of second HSCT overall. The main causes of death were infections, graft-versus-host disease, and rejection. In conclusion, use of busulfan or treosulfan as the backbone of myeloablative conditioning for patients with TDT undergoing HSCT resulted in comparably high cure rates. Long-term follow-up studies are warranted to address the important issues of organ toxicities and gonadal function.
-
2.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in leukocyte adhesion deficiency type I and III
Bakhtiar, S., Salzmann-Manrique, E., Blok, H. J., Eikema, D. J., Hazelaar, S., Ayas, M., Toren, A., Goldstein, G., Moshous, D., Locatelli, F., et al
Blood advances. 2021;5(1):262-273
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
Type I and III leukocyte adhesion deficiencies (LADs) are primary immunodeficiency disorders resulting in early death due to infections and additional bleeding tendency in LAD-III. The curative treatment of LAD-I and LAD-III is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). In this retrospective multicenter study, data were collected using the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation registry; we analyzed data from 84 LAD patients from 33 centers, all receiving an allo-HSCT from 2007 to 2017. The 3-year overall survival estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 83% (74-92) for the entire cohort: 84% (75-94) and 75% (50-100) for LAD-I and LAD-III, respectively. We observed cumulative incidences (95% CI) of graft failure (GF) at 3 years of 17% (9%-26%) and grade II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) at 100 days of 24% (15%-34%). The estimate (95% CI) at 3 years for GF- and GVHD-II to IV-free survival as event-free survival (EFS) was 56% (46-69) for the entire cohort; 58% (46-72) and 56% (23-88) for LAD-I and LAD-III, respectively. Grade II to IV acute GVHD was a relevant risk factor for death (hazard ratio 3.6; 95% CI 1.4-9.1; P = .006). Patients' age at transplant =13 months, transplantation from a nonsibling donor, and any serological cytomegalovirus mismatch in donor-recipient pairs were significantly associated with severe acute GVHD and inferior EFS. The choice of busulfan- or treosulfan-based conditioning, type of GVHD prophylaxis, and serotherapy did not impact overall survival, EFS, or aGVHD. An intrinsic inflammatory component of LAD may contribute to inflammatory complications during allo-HSCT, thus providing the rationale for considering anti-inflammatory therapy pretreatment.
-
3.
Myeloablative conditioning for allo-HSCT in pediatric ALL: FTBI or chemotherapy?-A multicenter EBMT-PDWP study
Willasch, A. M., Peters, C., Sedlacek, P., Dalle, J. H., Kitra-Roussou, V., Yesilipek, A., Wachowiak, J., Lankester, A., Prete, A., Hamidieh, A. A., et al
Bone marrow transplantation. 2020
Abstract
Although most children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receive fractionated total body irradiation (FTBI) as myeloablative conditioning (MAC) for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), it is an important matter of debate if chemotherapy can effectively replace FTBI. To compare outcomes after FTBI versus chemotherapy-based conditioning (CC), we performed a retrospective EBMT registry study. Children aged 2-18 years after MAC for first allo-HSCT of bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) from matched-related (MRD) or unrelated donors (UD) in first (CR1) or second remission (CR2) between 2000 and 2012 were included. Propensity score weighting was used to control pretreatment imbalances of the observed variables. 3.054 patients were analyzed. CR1 (1.498): median follow-up (FU) after FTBI (1.285) and CC (213) was 6.8 and 6.1 years. Survivals were not significantly different. CR2 (1.556): median FU after FTBI (1.345) and CC (211) was 6.2 years. Outcomes after FTBI were superior as compared with CC with regard to overall survival (OS), leukemia-free survival (LFS), relapse incidence (RI), and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). However, we must emphasize the preliminary character of the results of this retrospective "real-world-practice" study. These findings will be prospectively assessed in the ALL SCTped 2012 FORUM trial.
-
4.
Outcomes of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation from HLA-matched and alternative donors: a European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation registry retrospective analysis
Shouval, R., Fein, J. A., Labopin, M., Kroger, N., Duarte, R. F., Bader, P., Chabannon, C., Kuball, J., Basak, G. W., Dufour, C., et al
The Lancet. Haematology. 2019
Abstract
BACKGROUND The introduction of donors other than HLA-matched siblings has been a pivotal change in stem cell transplantation. We aimed to assess the evolution of outcomes within donor groups over time and explore whether donor-recipient HLA disparity might be advantageous in patients with aggressive disease. METHODS In this retrospective, multicentre study, we assessed the outcomes for adult patients (≥18 years) with haematological malignancies who underwent their first allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) between Jan 3, 2001, and Dec 31, 2015, and were reported to the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. The donor types studied were matched sibling, matched unrelated, mismatched unrelated, haploidentical, and cord blood donors. Unrelated non-cord-blood donors and recipients were typed at the allelic level for HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, and HLA-DRB1. We evaluated trends in overall survival, non-relapse mortality, relapse incidence, progression-free survival, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and GVHD-free and relapse-free survival following transplantation from various donor types (matched sibling, matched unrelated, mismatched unrelated, haploidentical, and umbilical cord blood), and compared transplantation outcomes across three epochs (epoch 1: 2001-05; epoch 2: 2006-10; and epoch 3: 2011-15). We used Kaplan-Meier estimators for survival probabilities and cumulative incidence functions accounting for competing risks for probabilities of GHVD, relapse, and non-relapse mortality, using multiple imputations by chained equations to deal with missing data. In epoch 3, we directly compared outcomes by donor group, stratified by a novel three-level disease-risk scheme. FINDINGS We included 106 188 patients in our analysis. The median follow-up was 4.1 years (IQR 1.7-7.7). Overall survival at 3 years increased with all donor groups between epochs 2 and 3 (matched sibling: 54.0% [95% CI 53.1-54.8] to 54.6% [53.6-55.6]; matched unrelated: 49.1% [48.0-50.2] to 51.6% [50.7-52.6]; mismatched unrelated: 37.4% [35.7-39.2] to 41.3% [39.5-43.1]; haploidentical: 34.5% [31.4-37.9] to 44.2% [42.1-46.3]; and cord blood 36.3% [33.9-39] to 43.7% [40.8-46.8]). Improvement in overall survival seems to be driven by a reduction in non-relapse mortality, except in cord blood HSCT recipients, who had a lower relapse incidence. Comparing donor groups across disease-risk strata using the novel disease-risk scheme, overall survival among recipients of matched sibling transplantations remained better than other donor groups except in high-risk disease, where overall survival with matched unrelated transplantations was not different. INTERPRETATION Overall survival following allogeneic stem cell transplantation is improving with substantial progress among recipients of haploidentical and cord blood HSCT. Nonetheless, the traditional donor hierarchy of matched sibling donors followed by matched unrelated donors and then other donors holds. Our findings warrant further investigation and could inform decision making and the development of donor-selection algorithms. FUNDING The Varda and Boaz Dotan Research Center in Haemato-Oncology, Tel Aviv University, and the Shalvi Foundation for Research.
-
5.
Gonadal function after Busulfan compared to Treosulfan in children and adolescents undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. On Behalf of the Pediatric and Transplant Complications Working Parties of EBMT
Faraci, M., Diesch, T., Labopin, M., Dalissier, A., Lankester, A., Gennery, A., Sundin, M., Uckan-Cetinkaya, D., Bierings, M., Peters, A. M. J., et al
Biology of blood and marrow transplantation : journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2019
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gonadal impairment is an important late effect having a significant impact on quality of life of transplanted patients. The aim of this study was to compare gonadal function after Busulfan (Bu) or Treosulfan (Treo) conditioning regimens in pre and post-pubertal children. MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a retrospective, multicenter study including children transplanted in pediatric European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) centers between 1992 and 2012 who did not receive gonadotoxic chemo-radiotherapy before the transplant. RESULTS We evaluated 137 patients transplanted in 25 pediatric EBMT centers. Median age at transplant was 11.04 years (range 5-18); 89 patients were males and 48 were females. Eighty-nine patients were pre-pubertal at transplant, while 48 were post-pubertal. One hundred eighteen children received Bu and 19 Treo. A higher proportion of females treated with Treo in pre-pubertal stage reached spontaneous puberty compared to those treated with Bu (p=0.02). Spontaneous menarche was more frequent after Treo than after Bu (p< 0.001). Post-pubertal males and females treated with Treo had significantly lower luteinizing hormone (LH) levels (p=0.03 and p=0.04, respectively) compared to the Bu group. CONCLUSIONS Frequency of gonadal damage associated with Treo was significantly lower than that observed after Bu. These results need to be confirmed in a larger population.
-
6.
Allogeneic HSCT for Autoimmune Diseases: A Retrospective Study From the EBMT ADWP, IEWP, and PDWP Working Parties
Greco, R., Labopin, M., Badoglio, M., Veys, P., Furtado Silva, J. M., Abinun, M., Gualandi, F., Bornhauser, M., Ciceri, F., Saccardi, R., et al
Frontiers in immunology. 2019;10:1570
Abstract
Background: This retrospective study assessed the use and long-term outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with severe autoimmune diseases (ADs), reported to the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) registry. Methods: Between 1997 and 2014, 128 patients received allogeneic HSCT for various hematological (n = 49) and non-hematological (n = 79) refractory ADs. The median age was 12.7 years (0.2-62.2). Donors were syngeneic for seven, matched related for 46, unrelated for 51, haploidentical for 15, and cord blood for nine patients. Results: The incidence of grades II-IV acute graft-vs.-host disease (GvHD) was 20.8% at 100 days. Cumulative incidence of chronic GvHD was 27.8% at 5-years. Non-relapse mortality (NRM) was 12.7% at 100-days. Overall survival (OS) and Progression-Free Survival (PFS) were 70.2 and 59.4% at 5-years, respectively. By multivariate analysis, age <18 years, males, and more recent year of transplant were found to be significantly associated with improved PFS. Reduced conditioning intensity was associated with a lower NRM. On a subgroup of 64 patients with detailed information a complete clinical response was obtained in 67% of patients at 1-year. Conclusions: This large EBMT survey suggests the potential of allogeneic HSCT to induce long-term disease control in a large proportion of refractory ADs, with acceptable toxicities and NRM, especially in younger patients.
-
7.
Benchmarking of survival outcomes following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A review of existing processes and the introduction of an international system from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) and the Joint Accreditation Committee of ISCT and EBMT (JACIE)
Snowden, J. A., Saccardi, R., Orchard, K., Ljungman, P., Duarte, R. F., Labopin, M., McGrath, E., Brook, N., de Elvira, C. R., Gordon, D., et al
Bone marrow transplantation. 2019
-
8.
The increase of the global donor inventory is of limited benefit to patients of non-Northwestern European descent
van Walraven, S. M., Brand, A., Bakker, J. N., Heemskerk, M. B., Nillesen, S., Bierings, M. B., Bungener, L. B., Hepkema, B. G., Lankester, A., van der Meer, A., et al
Haematologica. 2017;102(1):176-183
Abstract
Between 2001 and 2012, the number of unrelated donors registered worldwide increased from 7 to 21 million, and the number of public cord blood units increased to over 500,000. We addressed the question of whether this expansion resulted in higher percentages of patients reaching transplantation. Unrelated donor searches were evaluated for 3,124 eligible patients in the Netherlands in two cohorts (2001-2006, n=995; 2007-2012, n=2129), comparing results for patients of Northwestern European and non-Northwestern European origin. Endpoints were 'donor found' and 'transplantation reached'. The substantial growth of the donor inventory over the period studied did not increase the median number of potential unrelated donors (n=7) for non-Northwestern European patients, but almost doubled the number for Northwestern European patients from 42 to 71. Before and after 2007, an unrelated donor or cord blood was identified for 91% and 95%, respectively, of Northwestern European patients and for 65% and 82% of non-Northwestern European patients (P<0.0001). Non-Northwestern European patients more often needed a cord blood transplant. The degree of HLA matching was significantly lower for non-Northwestern European patients (P<0.0006). The time needed to identify a donor decreased for both populations. The percentage of Northwestern European patients reaching transplantation increased from 77% to 83% and for non-Northwestern European patients from 57% to 72% (P=0.0003). The increase of the global inventory resulted in more transplants for patients lacking a family donor, although the quality and quantity of (potential) haematopoietic cell grafts for patients of a non-Northwestern European descent remained inferior, indicating the need for adaptation of recruitment.
-
9.
Impact of Conditioning Regimen on Outcomes for Children with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Undergoing Transplantation in First Complete Remission. An Analysis on Behalf of the Pediatric Disease Working Party of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Lucchini, G., Labopin, M., Beohou, E., Dalissier, A., Dalle, J. H., Cornish, J., Zecca, M., Samarasinghe, S., Gibson, B., Locatelli, F., et al
Biology of Blood & Marrow Transplantation. 2017;23(3):467-474
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) represents the cornerstone of treatment in pediatric high-risk and relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The aim of the present study was to compare outcomes of pediatric patients with AML undergoing HSCT using 3 different conditioning regimens: total body irradiation (TBI) and cyclophosphamide (Cy); busulfan (Bu) and Cy; or Bu, Cy, and melphalan (Mel). In this retrospective study, registry data for patients>2 and <18 years age undergoing matched allogeneic HSCT for AML in first complete remission (CR1) in 204 European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation centers between 2000 and 2010 were analyzed. Data were available for 631 patients; 458 patients received stem cells from a matched sibling donor and 173 from a matched unrelated donor. For 440 patients, bone marrow was used as stem cell source, and 191 patients received peripheral blood stem cells. One hundred nine patients received TBICy, 389 received BuCy, and 133 received BuCyMel as their preparatory regimen. Median follow-up was 55 months. Patients receiving BuCyMel showed a lower incidence of relapse at 5 years (14.7% versus 31.5% in BuCy versus 30% in TBICy, P<.01) and higher overall survival (OS) (76.6% versus 64% versus 64.5%, P=.04) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) (74.5% versus 58% versus 61.9%, P<.01), with a comparable nonrelapse mortality (NRM) (10.8% versus 10.5% versus 8.1%, P=.79). Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) grades III and IV but not chronic GVHD, was higher in patients receiving BuCyMel. Older age at HSCT had an adverse impact on NRM and the use of peripheral blood as stem cell source was associated with increased chronic GVHD and NRM as well as lower LFS and OS. Among pediatric patients receiving HSCT for AML in CR1, the use of BuCyMel conditioning proved superior to TBICy and BuCy in reducing relapse and improving LFS. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. All rights reserved.
-
10.
European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Analysis of Treosulfan Conditioning Before Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children and Adolescents With Hematological Malignancies
Boztug, H., Sykora, K. W., Slatter, M., Zecca, M., Veys, P., Lankester, A., Cant, A., Skinner, R., Wachowiak, J., Glogova, E., et al
Pediatric Blood & Cancer. 2016;63(1):139-48
Abstract
BACKGROUND Standard myeloablative conditioning regimens for children with hematological malignancies undergoing allogeneic HSCT are based mainly on total body irradiation or busulfan. Their serious short- and long-term side effects warranted the exploration of less toxic alternatives. Treosulfan is increasingly used for adults and children before HSCT due to its potent immunosuppressive and cytotoxic effects combined with low organ toxicity. PROCEDURE To further investigate the role of treosulfan conditioning in children, the EBMT Pediatric diseases working party performed a retrospective analysis of 193 children with hematological malignancies (ALL n=71, AML n=47, MDS/MPS n=40, other leukemia/lymphoma n=25) undergoing allogeneic HSCT following treosulfan between January 2005 and July 2010. RESULTS Early regimen-related toxicity was low and mainly gastrointestinal. Veno-occlusive disease and neurological toxicity were rare. There was no association of toxicity with type of disease or treosulfan dose. High-grade early toxicity was not higher in infants or patients undergoing second or later transplantation. Treatment related mortality was low at 14%. Three-year event-free survival was 45+/-4% and not significantly influenced by number of transplants, however it appeared to be significantly better for infants (P=0.022). When compared to treosulfan plus fludarabine, the combination of treosulfan, fludarabine and an alkylator (either thiotepa or melphalan) resulted in significantly better overall survival (OS, P=0.048) and a trend toward better EFS. CONCLUSIONS Treosulfan based conditioning is a safe and effective approach for children with hematological malignancies, including and importantly for infants and those patients undergoing second or later transplantation. Copyright © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.