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Allografting

Access to allogeneic hematopoietic SCT for patients with MDS or relapsed AML treated according to protocols of the Dutch Childhood Oncology Group

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 47, pages 677–683 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

To investigate whether all patients in need of an allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) are offered one, we retrospectively investigated the policy for all children diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (n=90) or relapsed AML (n=75) between 1998 and 2008. These children are registered at diagnosis and treated according to protocols of the Dutch Childhood Oncology Group, which provides accurate disease incidence data and protocol-indicated appropriateness for HSCT. For 48 (30%) patients, a family donor was identified; for 90 (57%) patients, an unrelated donor (UD) search was performed; and for 21 (13%) patients, no UD search was initiated. Reasons for not initiating an UD search include: progressive disease (n=10), conserve quality of life (n=1), stable disease (n=3), immunosuppressive therapy (n=2), patient death (n=3), patient lives abroad (n=1) and second relapse (n=1). On the basis of the time interval between date of diagnosis and date of death/last follow-up, for eight (5%) patients, it may be questioned why an UD search was not performed. The fact that 95% of all children are given the option of an allogeneic HSCT is encouraging and reasons not to transplant seem fair in most cases.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the data managers of the DCOG for providing the clinical patient data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Europdonor Foundation, Leiden, The Netherlands

    M M Jöris, J J van Rood & M Oudshoorn

  2. Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands

    M M Jöris, F H J Claas, J J van Rood & M Oudshoorn

  3. Department of Hematology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M B Bierings

  4. Dutch Childhood Oncology Group (DCOG), The Hague, The Netherlands

    M B Bierings & R M Egeler

  5. Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands

    R M Egeler

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  1. M M Jöris
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Correspondence to M M Jöris.

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Jöris, M., Bierings, M., Egeler, R. et al. Access to allogeneic hematopoietic SCT for patients with MDS or relapsed AML treated according to protocols of the Dutch Childhood Oncology Group. Bone Marrow Transplant 47, 677–683 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.168

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