Donor Age Influences Graft-Versus-Host Disease Relapse-Free Survival after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant in Elderly Patients in Two Countries from Latin America.

Background And Objectives: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (Allo-SCT) in elderly patients is a growing practice. We aimed to determine the graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) relapse-free survival (GRFS) in patients ≥65 years who underwent Allo-SCT in two countries from Latin America.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients ≥65 years who underwent Allo-SCT in Argentina and Brazil from 2007 to 2019.

Clinical characteristics and evolution of hematological patients and COVID-19 in Argentina: a report from the Argentine Society of Hematology.

Individuals with malignancies and COVID-19 have a lower survival compared with the general population. However, the information about the impact of COVID-19 on the whole hematological population is scarce. We aimed to describe the 30th day overall survival (OS) after COVID-19 infection in patients with a hematological disease in Argentina.

Children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Analysis of survival and predictors of mortality.

Introduction: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in children is a procedure that is not exempt of severe complications. Admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is associated with a high mortality rate. Objectives: To analyze survival and predictors of mortality among children who received a HSCT and were admitted to the PICU, and to develop a mortality prediction model in this population.

Comparison of matched sibling, unrelated and haploidentical donors in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A real-world experience from the Argentine Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy (GATMO-TC).

We retrospectively analyzed 570 adult patients who received allogeneic stem cell transplantation for malignant diseases. The outcomes were compared according to donor type. Most of the patients (60%) were transplanted for acute leukemia.

Predicting Mortality after Autologous Transplant: Development of a Novel Risk Score.

There have been several efforts to predict mortality after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), such as the hematopoietic cell transplant-comorbidity index (HCT-CI), described for allogeneic stem cell transplantation and validated for ASCT, but there is no composite score in the setting of ASCT combining comorbidities with other clinical characteristics. Our aim is to describe a comprehensive score combining comorbidities with other clinical factors and to analyze the impact of this score on nonrelapse mortality (NRM), overall survival (OS), and early morbidity endpoints (mechanical ventilation, shock or dialysis) after ASCT. For the training cohort, we retrospectively reviewed data of 2068 adult patients who received an ASCT in Argentina (October 2002 to June 2017) for multiple myeloma or lymphoma.

Bilateral macular detachment: Choroid as a sanctuary of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Purpose: To describe a bilateral macular detachment as the only sign of acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapse and prompt reversal with total body irradiation without ocular protection.

Observations: We present the case of a 20-year-old patient, diagnosed with a high-risk phy-negative, pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with a positive MLL gene rearrangement. After a Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster-like regimen chemotherapy protocol and a first complete remission, ALL relapse was diagnosed, so he was commenced on a FlaG-Ida protocol (fludarabine, idarubicin, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and high-dose cytarabine).

Haploidentical transplant in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Argentina: a comparison with matched related and unrelated donors.

We aimed at analyzing the outcome of allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT) in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), comparing Haploidentical (Haplo) with HLA-matched (sibling and unrelated) donors. Between 2008 and 2017, we collected data from 236 patients (median age 31 years; range 16-64; 90% HCT-CI 0-1) who underwent unmanipulated ASCT in first complete remission and subsequent remissions in 15 Argentinian centers. Donors were HLA-matched (n = 175; 74%) and Haplo (n = 61; 26%).

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation improves survival in relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma patients achieving complete remission after salvage treatment.

Allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloSCT) is a current treatment option for patients with refractory/relapsed classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL), including those who have failed an autologous transplantation. We performed a retrospective multicenter analysis of 113 patients (median age 28 years; range 14-56; 54% males) with refractory/relapsed (R/R) CHL who had undergone alloSCT in Argentina. Kaplan-Meier was used to estimate overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-Specific Comorbidity Index Predicts Morbidity and Mortality in Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

The hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) score is a useful tool to assess the risk for nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although the HCT-CI has been investigated in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), its use is limited. To improve on the current use of the HCT-CI score on the morbidity and mortality after ASCT, we assessed the 100-day morbidity defined as orotracheal intubation (OTI), dialysis or shock (vasopressors need), 100-day NRM, early composite morbidity-mortality (combined endpoint that included any previous endpoints), and long-term NRM.

FUSARIUM SOLANI SUBRETINAL ABSCESS IN A PATIENT WITH ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA.

Purpose: To report on a case of Fusarium solani subretinal abscess in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia treated with an allogenic bone marrow transplant.

Methods: A 47-year-old male with a history of acute myeloid leukemia with intermediate cytogenetic risk was admitted in our hospital. The disease relapsed after two cycles of chemotherapy.

Hodgkin lymphoma burden in Central and South America.

Rationale And Objective: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is largely curable owing to improvements in treatment since the 1960s; nevertheless, high mortality rates have been reported in Central and South America. We describe the current burden of HL in the Central and South American region.

Methods: We obtained regional- and national-level incidence data from 48 population-based cancer registries in 13 countries, and national-level mortality data from the WHO mortality database for 18 countries.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the elderly. Predicting the risk for non relapse mortality.

We have retrospectively reviewed 137 medical records of patients older than 50 years receiving an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) between January 1997 and July 2013. Median follow up was 1.3 years.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adults with myelodysplastic syndrome: Experience of the Argentinean Group of Bone Marrow Transplantation (GATMO).

Introduction: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is a curative approach for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, we analyzed the outcome of adult patients with MDS who underwent AHSCT in Argentina and evaluated the prognostic factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), cumulative incidence (CI) of relapse, and non-relapse mortality (NRM).

Results: We analyzed data from 87 adults (median age: 43 years, range 18-66) who underwent SCT after myeloablative (n = 60) or non-myeloablative conditioning (n = 27), and from related (n = 62) or unrelated (n = 25) donors.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in adult liver transplant recipients: a South American multicenter experience.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a major and potentially life-threatening complication after solid-organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to describe the disease characteristics, clinical practices, and survival related to PTLD in adult orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients in South America. We conducted a survey at four different transplant groups from Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.

Association of functional polymorphisms of the transforming growth factor B1 gene with survival and graft-versus-host disease after unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Many genetic factors play major roles in the outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplants from unrelated donors. Transforming growth factor beta1 is a member of a highly pleiotrophic family of growth factors involved in the regulation of numerous immunomodulatory processes.

Design And Methods: We investigated the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms at codons 10 and 25 of TGFB1, the gene encoding for transforming growth factor beta1, on outcomes in 427 mye-loablative-conditioned transplanted patients.

Autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. The Argentine Group of Bone Marrow Transplantation (GATMO) experience.

Background: The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in prolonging disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who received autografts of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) positive or Ph negative cell harvests.

Methods: Over a 4-year period (1994-1999), 53 patients who underwent ASCT for CML were reported to the Argentine Group of Bone Marrow Transplantation (GATMO) Registry.

Results: Ph negative cell products were harvested in only 18 patients (34%).