Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Thalassemia

Abstract

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the only consolidated, potentially curative treatment for patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia major. In the past few decades, several new approaches have reduced the toxicity of conditioning regimens and decreased the incidence of graft-versus-host disease, improving patients' outcomes and quality of life. In addition, the progressive availability of alternative stem cell sources from unrelated or haploidentical donors or umbilical cord blood has made HSCT a feasible option for an increasing number of subjects lacking an human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling. This review provides an overview of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in thalassemia, reassesses current clinical results, and discusses future perspectives.

Keywords: Cord blood transplantation; Haploidentical transplantation; Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Hemoglobinopathies; Sibling donor transplantation; Thalassemia; Unrelated donor transplantation.