Reduced-intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients aged 50 years or older with B-cell ALL in remission: a retrospective study by the Adult ALL Working Group of the Japan Society for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013 Nov;48(12):1513-8. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2013.140. Epub 2013 Sep 23.

Abstract

We retrospectively assessed the outcome and pretransplantation predictors of the outcome in 118 patients aged ≥ 50 years who received fludarabine-containing reduced-intensity allo-SCT (RIST) for B-cell ALL in the first or second CR. Eighty patients received transplants from unrelated donors. Seventy-eight patients were positive for the Ph chromosome. The median follow-up period was 18 months and the 2-year OS rate was 56%. The 2-year cumulative incidence of relapse and non-relapse mortality was 28% and 26%, respectively. The incidence of grades II-IV and III-IV acute GVHD was 46% and 24%, respectively. After 2 years, the incidence of chronic GVHD was 37%. Multivariate analysis of pretransplant factors showed that a higher white blood cell count (≥ 30 × 10(9)/L) at diagnosis (hazard ratio (HR)=2.19, P=0.007) and second CR (HR=2.02, P=0.036) were significantly associated with worse OS, whereas second CR (HR=3.83, P<0.001) and related donor (HR=2.34, P=0.039) were associated with a higher incidence of relapse. Fludarabine-containing RIST may be a promising strategy for older patients with B-cell ALL in their first remission.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / surgery
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / therapy*
  • Remission Induction
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Transplantation Conditioning / methods*
  • Transplantation, Autologous
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vidarabine / administration & dosage
  • Vidarabine / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • Vidarabine
  • fludarabine