Paving the Road for Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in the United Arab Emirates: A Single Centre's Experience.

Background: Despite its long-term history, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) still faces challenges in several countries under development and especially in the private health sector.

Objectives Design And Methods: In this retrospective analysis, we present our experience and the results of 48 adult patients who underwent HSCT (autologous 37, allogeneic 9) at a private-sector hospital in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The main indications were multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukaemia in the autologous and allogeneic setting, respectively.

Safety and Efficacy of Extracorporeal Photopheresis for Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease.

Despite novel biological agents, steroid-dependent or -refractory graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) remains a severe complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an alternative, non-immunosuppressive treatment for patients with acute (aGvHD) or chronic (cGvHD) GvHD. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of ECP in the treatment of acute and chronic GvHD; We prospectively studied 112 patients with cGvHD who received one or more previous lines of treatment and 28 patients with steroid-dependent or refractory grade II-IV aGvHD post-alloHSCT.

Risk Assessment for Newly Diagnosed Fit Young Patients with Multiple Myeloma in the Era of Novel Treatment Modalities: Should There Be Additional Factors Taken into Consideration??

Introduction: The optimal treatment for young patients with high-risk newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) remains a challenge.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 58 NDMM patients younger than 55 years treated in our center from 2010 to 2021 with the current recommended protocols.

Results: After a median follow-up of 48 months, median overall survival (OS) was not reached; however, approximately 25% of them died within 4 years after diagnosis.

Establishment of the First Comprehensive Adult and Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Unit in the United Arab Emirates: Rising to the Challenge.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is increasingly indicated for various malignant and non-malignant diseases. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), patients that could benefit from the procedure commonly need to seek medical care abroad in view of the lack of a comprehensive HSCT facility that could offer the full spectrum of interventions and monitoring protocols. This comes with considerable challenges related to coverage and logistics of travel.

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with High-Risk Multiple Myeloma: Utopia or Continuous Challenge in Aiming for Cure?

Nowadays, several novel agents have been introduced in the treatment of multiple myeloma, not only resulting in high response rates and prolonged survival but also offering good quality of life. However, the potential of cure, especially for patients with advanced or unfavorable disease features, remains elusive. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, based mainly on the graft vs.

Non-transplantable cord blood units as a source for adoptive immunotherapy of leukaemia and a paradigm of circular economy in medicine.

Advances in immunotherapy with T cells armed with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-Ts), opened up new horizons for the treatment of B-cell lymphoid malignancies. However, the lack of appropriate targetable antigens on the malignant myeloid cell deprives patients with refractory acute myeloid leukaemia of effective CAR-T therapies. Although non-engineered T cells targeting multiple leukaemia-associated antigens [i.

Clinical course and outcomes of COVID-19 in hematopoietic cell transplant patients, a regional report from the Middle East.

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a potentially lethal infection. Cancer patients, and specifically hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients are severely immunocompromised and may be at a higher risk of a complicated course with this infection. We aimed to study the COVID-19 outcomes and severity in post HCT patients.

Repeated courses of escalating doses of Nivolumab in refractory Hodgkin lymphoma with recurrent relapses post allografting: A safe and effective treatment approach.

For patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) who experience relapse post allogeneic stem cell transplantation, limited treatment options exist, and the ultimate outcome is poor. Recently, the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors have shown remarkable efficacy in patients with refractory/relapsed HL, also demonstrating an acceptable safety profile. However, due to effects on T-cell activity, the use of PD-1 inhibitors post allografting may potentially increase the risk of treatment-emergent graft versus host disease.

Current Clinical Applications and Future Perspectives of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Cancer cells escape immune recognition by exploiting the programmed cell-death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell-death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint axis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors that target PD-1/PD-L1 unleash the properties of effector T cells that are licensed to kill cancer cells. Immune checkpoint blockade has dramatically changed the treatment landscape of many cancers.

Favorable Outcome After Adjuvant Involved-Field Radiotherapy After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation in Patients With High-Risk Relapsed/Refractory Lymphoma: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Patients with refractory or relapsed lymphoma diagnosed with bulky disease at relapse or with residual disease after salvage treatment are considered to have a dismal outcome, even after autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, as a result of disease recurrence. To minimize the risk of relapse after receipt of a transplant, involved-field radiotherapy (IFRT) to sites of either bulky or localized residual disease has been utilized; however, the ideal timing for irradiation remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of IFRT in the early period after transplantation.

Brentuximab vedotin for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma after autologous stem cell transplantation.

Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is the first approved novel agent for salvage treatment of relapsed or refractory (R/R) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). In this study, a literature-based analysis was undertaken to assess, via an indirect treatment comparison, the comparative efficacy of BV to salvage chemotherapy as treatment for R/R cHL patients following ASCT. This comparative effectiveness research was undertaken to support a reimbursement submission for BV to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

Correction to: Clinical-scale production of Aspergillus-specific T cells for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis in the immunocompromised host.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Clinical-scale production of Aspergillus-specific T cells for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis in the immunocompromised host.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) represents a leading cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. Although adoptive immunotherapy with Aspergillus-specific T cells (Asp-STs) represents a promising therapeutic approach against IA, the complex and costly production limits its broader application. We generated Asp-STs from a single blood draw of healthy individuals or IA patients in only 10 days, by either Aspergillus fumigatus (AF) lysate or peptide stimulation of mononuclear cells.

De Novo Psoriasis Vulgaris Diagnosed after Nivolumab Treatment for Refractory Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Completely Resolved after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

The programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitor nivolumab has been recently approved as an effective and safe treatment for patients with refractory/relapsed Hodgkin's lymphomas. Dermatological adverse events, mainly skin rash, have been reported in 1-5% of patients. We describe a case of de novo psoriasis vulgaris (PsV), diagnosed after nivolumab treatment for refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Favorable impact of extracorporeal photopheresis in acute and chronic graft versus host disease: Prospective single-center study.

Background: Graft vs host disease (GVHD) is the most severe complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Conventional immunosuppressive therapy increases morbidity and mortality without improving survival. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has been introduced as an alternative treatment in steroid-dependent and steroid-refractory disease.

Transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy: Incidence, prognostic factors, morbidity, and mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Renewed interest has emerged in transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) with novel prognostic, diagnostic, and treatment algorithms. We aimed to investigate the incidence, prognostic factors, morbidity, and mortality of TA-TMA in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients. We enrolled consecutive HCT recipients (1990-2017).

Positive impact of brentuximab vedotin on overall survival of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma who relapse or progress after autologous stem cell transplantation: A nationwide analysis.

The outcome of patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (R/R cHL) after autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) is poor. Recently, the anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate, brentuximab vedotin (BV), has shown remarkable activity in the setting of R/R cHL. In the pivotal phase II study, BV produced an overall response rate of 75% and a median progression-free survival of 6.

The Role of Low-dose Anti-thymocyte Globulin as Standard Prophylaxis in Mismatched and Matched Unrelated Hematopoietic Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies.

Introduction: Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-based immunosuppressive therapy is often used in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation to reduce incidence and severity of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

Patients And Methods: In our observational study, ATG (rabbit, Thymoglobulin; Sanofi, 5 mg/kg) was administered as a standardized part of the conditioning in 97 patients with a median age of 34 years (range, 14-58 years), allotransplanted for hematologic malignancies from matched (8/8; n = 52) and allele or antigen mismatched (7/8; n = 43 and 6/8; n = 2) unrelated donors.

Results: Five-year overall survival (OS) was 46.

Adoptive transfer of Aspergillus-specific T cells as a novel anti-fungal therapy for hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: Progress and challenges.

Although newer antifungal drugs have substantially altered the natural history of invasive aspergillosis, the disease still accounts for significant morbidity and mortality in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Both the evidence supporting a protective role of T cells against this fungal pathogen and the documented efficacy of adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T cells for prophylaxis and treatment of viral infections post-transplant have stimulated much interest towards development of Aspergillus-specific T cells (Asp-STs) for adoptive immunotherapy in the allogeneic transplant setting. In contrast to the remarkable progress with virus-specific T cells, clinical development of fungus-specific T cells is still in its infancy.

Carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan versus a newly designed intravenous busulfan-based Busulfex, etoposide and melphalan conditioning regimen for autologous hematopoietic cell transplant: a retrospective matched-pair analysis in advanced Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Optimal conditioning remains a challenge in lymphomas. We designed a regimen consisting of Busulfex, etoposide and melphalan (BuEM). We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of patients conditioned with carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan (BEAM) or BuEM in matched-pair analysis on a planned 2:1 ratio.

GVHD-associated chronic kidney disease after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been related to allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) as a late effect caused by a variety of factors. We retrospectively evaluated the development of CKD in 230 patients, aged 34 (5-65) years, who had undergone allogeneic HCT for haematological disease, using sibling or unrelated donors and myeloablative or reduced conditioning regimens. Pre-HCT glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was within normal limits (108±28 mL/min/1.