Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review
  • Published:

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Lebanon: first comprehensive report

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 42, pages S96–S102 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) has become a curative therapeutic strategy for several malignant and nonmalignant diseases. We report the comprehensive results of the first 10 years of experience in HSCT from the two major BMT units in Lebanon: Makassed University Hospital and the American University of Beirut Medical Center. The median and the 5-year overall survival (OS) were 97 months and 58%, respectively, for the 84 patients who received allogeneic HSCT, and 60 months and 50%, respectively, for the 228 patients who received autologous BMT. The results for myeloablative allogeneic transplantation were as follows: AML (n=28, 5-year OS 58%, 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) 48%), CML (n=9, 5-year OS 66%, 5-year DFS 52%), ALL (n=13, 2-year OS 10%, 2-year DFS 10%), thalassemia (n=10, 5-year transfusion-free survival 67%). The results for autologous HSCT were as follows: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in relapse (n=37, 5-year OS 68%, 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) 65%), Hodgkin's lymphoma (n=55, 5-year OS 55%, 5-year PFS 36%), and first-line multiple myeloma (n=71, 5-year OS 53%, 5-year PFS 24%). For allogeneic transplanted patients, the cumulative TRM was 23% and the incidence of acute GVHD was 23%. For autografted patients, TRM was 2.6%. These results indicate that despite the relatively low socioeconomic status of the Lebanese population, both allogeneic and autologous HSCT are feasible with outcomes similar to developed countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kaplan ER, Meier P . Non-parametric estimation from in complete observations. J Am Stat Assoc 1958; 53: 457–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Andersson BS, Gajewski J, Donato M, Giralt S, Gian V, Wingard J et al. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (BMT) for AML and MDS following i.v. busulfan and cyclophosphamide (i.v. BuCy). Bone Marrow Transplant 2000; 25 (Suppl 2): S35–S38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. von Bueltzingsloewen A, Bélanger R, Perreault C, Bonny Y, Roy DC, Boileau J et al. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation following busulfan–cyclophosphamide with or without etoposide conditioning regimen for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Br J Haematol 1993; 85: 706–713.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Russell S, Vowels M . Busulphan, cyclophosphamide, and melphalan as conditioning therapy in allogeneic bone marrow transplants for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Transplant Proc 1992; 24: 183.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Lucarelli G, Galimberti M, Polchi P, Angelucci E, Baronciani D, Durazzi SM et al. Bone marrow transplantation in adult thalassemia. Blood 1992; 80: 1603–1607.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Attal M, Harousseau JL . Randomized trial experience of the Intergroupe Francophone du Myélome. Semin Hematol 2001; 38: 226–230.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. A predictive model for aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The International Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Prognostic Factors Project. N Engl J Med 1993; 329: 987–994.

  8. Porcu P, Bhatia S, Sharma M, Einhorn LH . Results of treatment after relapse from high-dose chemotherapy in germ cell tumors. J Clin Oncol 2000; 18: 1181–1186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ibrahim A, Zambon E, Bourhis JH, Ostronoff M, Beaujean F, Viens P et al. High-dose chemotherapy with etoposide, cyclophosphamide and escalating dose of carboplatin followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation in cancer patients. A pilot study. Eur J Cancer 1993; 29A: 1398–1403.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zoubek A, Holzinger B, Mann G, Peters C, Emminger W, Perneczky-Hintringer E et al. High-dose cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, and vincristine (HD-CAV) in children with recurrent solid tumor. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 1994; 11: 613–623.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gratwohl A, Hermans J, Barrett AJ, Ernst P, Frassoni F, Gahrton G et al. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukemia in Europe: regional differences. Report from the Leukemia Working party of the European Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 1990; 5: 159–165.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Martin TG, Gajewski JL . Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute lymphocytic leukemia in adults. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2001; 15: 97–120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Horowitz MM, Messerer D, Hoelzer D, Gale RP, Neiss A, Atkinson K et al. Chemotherapy compared with bone marrow transplantation for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first remission. Ann Intern Med 1991; 115: 13–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. EBMT Registry. http://www.ebmt.org/.

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the following hematologists and oncologists for referring patients for transplantation: Dany Abi-Gerges, Yaser Abu-Murad, Riad Akoum, Nizar Bitar, Aref Chehal, Georges Chahine, Nabil Chamseddine, Azzam Dandachi, Mousa Dhaini, Abdul-Rahman El-Kinge, Nagi El-Saghir, Fadi Farhat, Marwan Ghosn, Mohammad Haidar, Khaled Ibrahim, Adlette Inati, Hassan Jaafar, Usama Jradi, Adel Kadri, Nader Kasem, Joseph Kattan, Christina Khater, Claudia Khayyat, Rahif Jalloul, Jawad Makarem, Walid Mukaddem, Ghazi Nsouli, Michael Saade, Ali Shamseddine, Ali Taher, Paul-Henri Tourbey, Elias Tweini, Mahmoud Wehbe and Azzam Ziade. We also thank doctors Elizabeth Baz, Rami Mahfouz, Joud Haidar, Ghazi Zaatari and Ms Nabila Kreidieh for their help in stem cell collection and preservation. We also thank the dedicated nursing staff and paramedical personnel in both centers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

    A Bazarbachi, H A Hatoum, Z K Otrock, S Muwakkit, Z Salem & M Abboud

  2. Makassed University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon

    A Mugharbel, N Yassine, W Shebbo, T Jisr & A Ibrahim

  3. Department of Pediatrics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

    S Muwakkit

Authors
  1. A Bazarbachi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H A Hatoum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A Mugharbel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Z K Otrock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. N Yassine
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S Muwakkit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Z Salem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. W Shebbo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. T Jisr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. M Abboud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. A Ibrahim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A Bazarbachi.

Additional information

Conflict of interest

None of the authors declared any financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bazarbachi, A., Hatoum, H., Mugharbel, A. et al. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Lebanon: first comprehensive report. Bone Marrow Transplant 42 (Suppl 1), S96–S102 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2008.128

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2008.128

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links