Real-World Impact of Routine Addition of Antithymocyte Globulin to Standard GVHD Prophylaxis in Myeloablative Unrelated Donor Transplants: Important Gains in Graft-versus-Host Disease Prevention though No Difference in Overall Survival.

Introduction: Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) has been demonstrated to reduce the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD); however, it remains controversial whether these gains are offset by an increase in relapse.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective historical control study consisting of patients (n = 210) who underwent myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) from 2014 to 2020.

Results: The incidence of acute GVHD was lower in the ATG group (51.

Outcomes with allogeneic stem cell transplant using cryopreserved versus fresh hematopoietic progenitor cell products.

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) is a mainstay of treatment for hematologic malignancies such as acute leukemias and aggressive lymphomas. Historically, fresh hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) products have been preferred to cryopreserved products (cryo-HPC) due to concerns of loss of stem cell viability and number with the cryopreservation procedure.

Objective: We aimed to analyze the outcomes of patients who received cryo-HPCs during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare this against historical cohorts that received fresh HPC.

Incidence and socioeconomic factors in older adults with acute myeloid leukaemia: Real-world outcomes from a population-based cohort.

Objectives: Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a disease of older adults, who are vulnerable to socio-economic factors. We determined AML incidence in older adults and the impact of socio-economic factors on outcomes.

Methods: We included 3024 AML patients (1996-2016) identified from a population-based registry.

Mortality from Multiple Myeloma Within One Year Following Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: Defining an Ultra-high Risk Population.

Despite improvements in therapy, approximately 5% of patients who undergo autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) experience early mortality (EM), death within 1 year of transplant (EM post-ASCT). Such patients tend to have few comorbidities suggesting their EM is owing to aggressive underlying disease. We sought to characterize this ultra-high risk population through a retrospective review of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) treated with first-line ASCT.

Reevaluating Patient Eligibility for Inotuzumab Ozogamicin Based on CD22 Expression: Is Dim Expression Sufficient?

Salvage options for patients with relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) include inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO), a recombinant, humanized anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody conjugated to the cytotoxic antibiotic calicheamicin. However, the benefit of InO in patients with dim CD22 expression remains unclear. We present a case of a patient with B-ALL who responded to InO despite only dim surface expression of CD22 by flow cytometry, achieving a survival benefit concordant with that reported in the literature and maintaining a good quality of life as a transfusion-independent outpatient.

Outpatient Autologous Stem Cell Transplants for Multiple Myeloma: Analysis of Safety and Outcomes in a Tertiary Care Center.

Background: Autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) is the preferred consolidation strategy to treat eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and related plasma cell dyscrasias. Given the increasing volume of patients and longer wait time, outpatient ASCT for MM is the standard of care at the Vancouver General Hospital.

Patients And Methods: Patients with MM, POEMS syndrome, and amyloidosis undergoing ASCT were included in this analysis.

Fludarabine, busulfan, and low-dose TBI conditioning versus cyclophosphamide and TBI in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The optimal conditioning regimen for adults undergoing transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains undetermined. Cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation (Cy/TBI) has emerged as a standard myeloablative regimen but is associated with significant toxicity. We compared outcomes between patients undergoing transplant for ALL at centers using Cy/TBI as standard of care and another center using fludarabine, busulfan, and low-dose TBI (400 cGy) in combination with anti-thymocyte globulin as its standard.

Outcomes of Intermediate Risk Karyotype Acute Myeloid Leukemia in First Remission Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Compared With Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation and Chemotherapy Consolidation: A Retrospective, Propensity-score Adjusted Analysis.

Introduction: Optimal post-remission therapy (PRT) for intermediate risk acute myeloid leukemia remains an area of ongoing research. We aimed to retrospectively compare outcomes following autologous stem cell transplantation (autoSCT) with allogeneic SCT (alloSCT) and consolidation chemotherapy (CMT) in patients with intermediate-risk karyotype AML in first complete remission.

Patients And Methods: We compared overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) using propensity score (PS)-adjusted analysis of patients receiving PRT with autoSCT, matched sibling (MSD) alloSCT, unrelated/mismatch (UD/MM) alloSCT, and CMT.

Excellent real-world outcomes of adults with Burkitt lymphoma treated with CODOX-M/IVAC plus or minus rituximab.

Treatment of Burkitt lymphoma (BL) with intensive, multi-agent chemotherapy with aggressive central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis results in high cure rates, although no regimen is standard of care. We examined population-based survival outcomes of adults with BL treated with a modified combination of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisone and systemic high-dose methotrexate (MTX) (CODOX-M) with IVAC (ifosfamide, mesna, etoposide, cytarabine and intrathecal MTX) (CODOX-M/IVAC) ± rituximab over a 15-year period in British Columbia. For the 81 patients identified (including 8 with CNS involvement and 18 with human immunodeficiency virus-associated BL), 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 75% [95% confidence interval (CI): 63-83%] and 77% (95% CI: 66-85%), respectively, with no treatment-related deaths.

Improving Revised International Prognostic Scoring System Pre-Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Does Not Translate Into Better Post-Transplantation Outcomes for Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes: A Single-Center Experience.

The natural history of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is variable. The Revised International Prognostic Score (IPSS-R) is commonly used in practice to predict outcomes in patients with MDS at both diagnosis and before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, the effect of change in the IPSS-R before allogeneic HSCT with chemotherapy or hypomethylating agents on post-transplantation outcomes is currently unknown.

Comparison of a pediatric-inspired treatment protocol versus standard-intensity chemotherapy for young adults with standard-risk BCR-ABL negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

We investigated the utility of a pediatric-inspired protocol in adults aged 18-40 years with standard-risk BCR-ABL negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Retrospective outcomes of 25 patients treated with a pediatric protocol between 2008 and 2014 were compared with 22 similarly aged patients treated with an adult protocol between 2003 and 2008. Twenty-five (100%) and 19 (86%) patients achieved complete remission, respectively.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Is an Effective Salvage Therapy for Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Presenting with Advanced Disease or Failing Treatment with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only known curative therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); however, it is rarely utilized given the excellent long-term results with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. The purpose of this study is to examine HSCT outcomes for patients with CML who failed TKI therapy or presented in advanced phase and to identify predictors of survival, relapse, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). Fifty-one patients with CML underwent HSCT for advanced disease at diagnosis (n = 15), TKI resistance as defined by the European LeukemiaNet guidelines (n = 30), TKI intolerance (n = 2), or physician preference (n = 4).

Outcome of Patients With Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas With Concurrent MYC and BCL2 Rearrangements Treated With CODOX-M/IVAC With Rituximab Followed by Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: Double-hit lymphoma is characterized by the presence of concurrent MYC (myelocytomatosis oncogene) and BCL2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) gene rearrangements. Prognosis is poor with standard chemoimmunotherapy. Since 2003, the British Columbia Cancer Agency has used CODOX-M/IVAC+R (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, methotrexate, cytarabine, ifosfamide, and etoposide, combined with rituximab) followed by consolidative hematopoietic cell transplantation as definitive treatment for double-hit lymphoma.

Aberrant expression of CD13 identifies a subgroup of standard-risk adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia with inferior survival.

Background: The standard-risk (SR) subgroup of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults (aALL) is a heterogeneous category, with a 20% to 40% relapse rate and a wide range of relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). There is a need to identify at the outset those patients with SR-aALL who are likely to have shorter RFS and OS, so they can be treated more aggressively.

Patients And Methods: Flow cytometric data of 81 patients with SR-aALL treated with a standardized protocol were retrospectively analyzed.

Normal karyotype CALLA-positive adult pre-B ALL: dismal outcome with chemotherapy for patients with loss/gain of ABL1 and/or BCR FISH signals.

Background: Diagnostic karyotype and molecular studies represent the most powerful prognostic indicators in acute myeloid leukemia and provide the framework for risk stratification. Risk stratification in ALL has also a vital role in predicting outcome and identifying patients at higher risk of relapse with multiagent chemotherapy, but the role of diagnostic karyotype and molecular markers in adult ALL is limited to few well recognized cytogenetic abnormalities.

Patients And Methods: We report a case series of 6 adult ALL patients with a characteristic molecular abnormality that have done poorly with chemotherapy.

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: outcome in a 20-year cohort.

The curative potential of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo HSCT) in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia CLL is established, with a demonstrated role for graft-versus-leukaemia and less certainty for other factors in determining outcome. The first two decades of CLL patients proceeding to allo HSCT at the Leukaemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program of British Columbia (n = 49 consecutive, 1991-2009) were studied to clarify factors predicting outcome. The donor was related in 29 (59%) and unrelated in 20 (41%).

Long-term follow-up of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase developing sudden blast phase on imatinib therapy.

Sudden blast phase (SBP) is a rare event that occurs in an unpredictable fashion amongst patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who otherwise appear to be responding satisfactorily to imatinib (IM) treatment. We investigated the incidence, clinical characteristics, treatment outcome and long-term follow-up of 213 patients with chronic phase CML treated with IM according to the European LeukemiaNet guidelines. Nine patients, eight of whom received IM as first-line therapy, developed SBP (4.

Novel agents improve survival of transplant patients with multiple myeloma including those with high-risk disease defined by early relapse (<12 months).

The treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) has changed with the advent of thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide, the so-called novel agents (NAs). Given the complexity of MM therapy in the NA era we pursued a population based study to assess for improvements in survival as well as to characterize the relevance of early relapse (within 12 months) and the International Staging System in this clinical setting. We reviewed our experience with 460 patients with MM treated with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) between 1988 and 2008, of whom 306 had relapsed.

Response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia relapsing in chronic and advanced phase following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have been used to treat relapse of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) after allogeneic stem cell transplant (HSCT), with responses seen predominantly in chronic phase (CP) patients. This study aimed to analyze the response to TKI therapy and overall survival for patients relapsing predominantly in advanced phase. We retrospectively reviewed 22 patients treated with imatinib (n=20) and/or dasatinib (n=6) for relapsed CML after HSCT; 8 patients were in CP, and 14 patients had advanced disease.

Current status of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Treatment of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) has been traditionally empirical, primarily aiming at ameliorating symptoms or treating complications resulting from the disease. Novel therapies such as eculizumab result in stabilization of hemoglobin levels and improvement in quality of life, but does not cure PNH. Nonrandomized studies suggest that long-term remissions are achievable when using myeloablative or nonmyeloablative/reduced-intensity (NMT/RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as treatment for PNH.

IPSS poor-risk karyotype as a predictor of outcome for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome following myeloablative stem cell transplantation.

The optimal therapy for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is allogeneic bone marrow (BM) or blood (BSC) stem cell transplantation (SCT), although outcomes are limited by nonrelapse mortality (NRM) and relapse. A retrospective review was performed of 156 patients who underwent SCT (114 BM, 42 BSC) for MDS or secondary acute myelogenous leukemia (sAML) at our institution. Fifty-five patients remain in continuous complete remission: 35 BM recipients and 20 BSC recipients (median follow-up 139 and 89 months, respectively).