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Allografting

Predictors of outcome following myeloablative allo-SCT for therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome and AML

Abstract

Administration of alkylating agents (Alk), topoisomerase II inhibitors (Topo II) and radiotherapy (RT) can result in therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myelogenous leukaemia (t-MDS/t-AML), the optimal treatment for which is allo-SCT. A retrospective review was performed of 24 patients who underwent related- or unrelated-donor SCT for t-MDS/t-AML at our institution. Eight patients remain alive and in continuous remission (median follow-up 54 months (range, 12–161)) with estimated 5-year EFS being 30% (95% confidence intervals 16–58%). Corresponding actuarial risks of relapse and non-relapse mortality (NRM) are 39% (19–60%) and 30% (13–50%), respectively. EFS was 40% in Alk/RT-related t-MDS/t-AML and 11% in Topo II-related t-MDS/t-AML (P=0.05), with an increased risk of relapse in the latter (56 vs 29%, respectively (P=0.05)). In multivariate analysis, development of acute GVHD (P=0.009) and Topo II-related t-MDS/t-AML (P=0.018) were associated with inferior EFS. Patients with acute GVHD had an increased risk of NRM (P=0.03) whereas risk of relapse was higher for patients of advanced age (P=0.046) and for patients who underwent bone marrow (vs blood) SCT (P=0.032). Allo-SCT can result in long-term survival for individuals with t-MDS/t-AML although outcome in Topo II-related t-MDS/t-AML patients remains suboptimal.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the nursing and support staff of Wards T15 and CP6 of the Vancouver General Hospital for the superb care given to the patients of the Leukaemia/BMT Program of British Columbia and Alan Le and Yung-Feng Dai for their assistance with the graphics in the paper.

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Correspondence to T J Nevill.

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Nevill, T., Hogge, D., Toze, C. et al. Predictors of outcome following myeloablative allo-SCT for therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome and AML. Bone Marrow Transplant 42, 659–666 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2008.226

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