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Allografting

Favorable outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for relapsed or refractory acute promyelocytic leukemia in childhood

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 34, pages 795–798 (2004)Cite this article

Summary:

The optimal therapy for children with relapsed or refractory acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is unclear. We therefore reviewed our institutional outcomes for children undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for advanced APL. Between 1986 and 2003, 12 allogeneic HSCTs (five related donor, seven unrelated donor) were performed for 11 patients (median age, 13 years) with relapsed (n=8) or refractory (n=3) APL. All patients engrafted, after a median of 18.5 days. Grade B–D acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed after five transplants (42%; 90% CI, 18–68%), and the cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was 45% (90% CI, 19–71%). The cumulative incidence of overt relapse post-HSCT was 10% (90% CI, 0–28%). The overall 5-year survival was 73% (90% confidence interval (CI), 51–95%), with a median post-HSCT follow-up of 64 months. The Lansky/Karnofsky performance scores are 100% in six of eight survivors. In view of the low risk of subsequent relapse and favorable survival suggested by other reports and our own experience, we continue to recommend allogeneic HSCT for children with advanced APL for whom a suitably HLA-matched donor is identified.

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Acknowledgements

JPB is a recipient of a Fellowship Grant from the Lady Tata Foundation. The study was supported by the Frank J Hanna Jr, Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    J P Bourquin, I Thornley, L Brennan, A Kung, J Clark, L Lehmann & E C Guinan

  2. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    J P Bourquin, I Thornley, A Kung, J Clark, L Lehmann & E C Guinan

  3. Department of Biostatistical Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    D Neuberg

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  1. J P Bourquin
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  2. I Thornley
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  3. D Neuberg
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  4. L Brennan
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  5. A Kung
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  6. J Clark
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Correspondence to E C Guinan.

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Bourquin, J., Thornley, I., Neuberg, D. et al. Favorable outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for relapsed or refractory acute promyelocytic leukemia in childhood. Bone Marrow Transplant 34, 795–798 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704676

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704676

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