Hypomethylating agent induction therapy followed by hematopoietic cell transplantation is feasible in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

Clin Adv Hematol Oncol. 2010 Jan;8(1):40-6.

Abstract

Disease remission in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes can be achieved with azanucleosides, which act as pyrimidine analogs and hypomethylating agents. However, despite treatment with azanucleoside induction, patients with myelodysplastic syndromes nearly always relapse. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can be curative, but it is risky. Given that azanucleosides affect human leukocyte antigen expression and lymphocyte reactivity, we conducted a retrospective study to define the impact of pre-HCT azanucleoside therapy on post-HCT donor chimerism. Patients receiving azanucleoside induction therapy achieved rapid and high levels of donor chimerism post-transplant. Lineage analysis also found rapid donor chimerism of lymphocyte and granulocyte subsets. These data indicate the feasibility of pretransplant azanucleoside therapy in patients who subsequently receive an HCT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Azacitidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Azacitidine / therapeutic use
  • Decitabine
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • HLA Antigens / immunology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Histocompatibility Testing
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / drug therapy*
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / immunology
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / mortality
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / surgery*
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy / methods
  • Recurrence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Transplantation Chimera

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • HLA Antigens
  • Decitabine
  • Azacitidine