Evidence for a GVL effect following reduced-intensity allo-SCT in ALL: a British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation study

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013 Jul;48(7):982-7. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2012.261. Epub 2013 Jan 14.

Abstract

Myeloablative allo-SCT decreases relapse incidence (RI) in ALL. Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) may extend allo-SCT to older and less fit patients. Sixty-nine ALL patients reported to the BSBMT underwent fludarabine-based RIC allo-SCT, 38 from unrelated donors (UD). Forty-four patients received alemtuzumab. ALL was in CR in 64 patients (93%). This was a second or third SCT in 23 patients. Two-year OS and PFS were 36% and 32%, respectively. In multivariate analysis male recipients demonstrated better OS and PFS (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.42, P = 0.008 and HR = 0.45, P = 0.012, respectively). Two-year TRM was 29%: higher with younger age (HR = 0.97/year, P = 0.041), female recipient (HR = 2.55, P = 0.049) and increasing grade of acute GVHD (HR = 1.87, P = 0.001). Two-year RI was 38% and was lower in patients with acute and chronic GVHD (HR = 0.62 per increasing grade, P = 0.035 and HR = 0.52, P = 0.025, respectively). Long-term ALL-free survival is achievable following fludarabine-based RIC allo-SCT. The association between GVHD and decreased RI suggests the presence of a GVL effect.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Alemtuzumab
  • Allografts
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / mortality
  • Graft vs Host Disease / therapy
  • Graft vs Leukemia Effect*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / mortality
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / therapy*
  • Sex Factors
  • Societies, Medical
  • Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Survival Rate
  • Transplantation Conditioning*
  • United Kingdom
  • Vidarabine / administration & dosage
  • Vidarabine / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Alemtuzumab
  • Vidarabine
  • fludarabine