Total Body Irradiation and Risk of Breast Cancer After Blood or Marrow Transplantation: A Blood or Marrow Transplantation Survivor Study Report

International recommendations for screening and preventative practices for long-term survivors of transplantation and cellular therapy: a 2023 update

As hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapy expand to new indications and international access improves, the volume of HCT performed annually continues to rise. Parallel improvements in HCT techniques and supportive care entails more patients surviving long-term, creating further emphasis on survivorship needs. Survivors are at risk for developing late complications secondary to pre-, peri- and post-transplant exposures and other underlying risk-factors. Guidelines for screening and preventive practices for HCT survivors were originally published in 2006 and updated in 2012. To review contemporary literature and update the recommendations while considering the changing practice of HCT and cellular therapy, an international group of experts was again convened. This review provides updated pediatric and adult survivorship guidelines for HCT and cellular therapy. The contributory role of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) to the development of late effects is discussed but cGVHD management is not covered in detail. These guidelines emphasize special needs of patients with distinct underlying HCT indications or comorbidities (e.g., hemoglobinopathies, older adults) but do not replace more detailed group, disease, or condition specific guidelines. Although these recommendations should be applicable to the vast majority of HCT recipients, resource constraints may limit their implementation in some settings.

Cardiovascular Management of Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: From Pretransplantation to Survivorship: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can cure various disorders but poses cardiovascular risks, especially for elderly patients and those with cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular evaluations are crucial in pretransplantation assessments, but guidelines are lacking. This American Heart Association scientific statement summarizes the data on transplantation-related complications and provides guidance for the cardiovascular management throughout transplantation. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation consists of 4 phases: pretransplantation workup, conditioning therapy and infusion, immediate posttransplantation period, and long-term survivorship. Complications can occur during each phase, with long-term survivors facing increased risks for late effects such as cardiovascular disease, secondary malignancies, and endocrinopathies. In adults, arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation and flutter are the most frequent acute cardiovascular complication. Acute heart failure has an incidence ranging from 0.4% to 2.2%. In pediatric patients, left ventricular systolic dysfunction and pericardial effusion are the most common cardiovascular complications. Factors influencing the incidence and risk of complications include pretransplantation therapies, transplantation type (autologous versus allogeneic), conditioning regimen, comorbid conditions, and patient age. The pretransplantation cardiovascular evaluation consists of 4 steps: (1) initial risk stratification, (2) exclusion of high-risk cardiovascular disease, (3) assessment of cardiac reserve, and (4) optimization of cardiovascular reserve. Clinical risk scores could be useful tools for the risk stratification of adult patients. Long-term cardiovascular management of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation survivors includes optimizing risk factors, monitoring, and maintaining a low threshold for evaluating cardiovascular causes of symptoms. Future research should prioritize refining risk stratification and creating evidence-based guidelines and strategies to optimize outcomes in this growing patient population.

International Recommendations for Screening and Preventative Practices for Long-Term Survivors of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy: A 2023 Update

As hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapy expand to new indications and international access improves, the number of HCTs performed annually continues to rise. Parallel improvements in HCT techniques and supportive care entails more patients surviving long term, creating further emphasis on survivorship needs. Survivors are at risk for developing late complications secondary to pretransplantation, peritransplantation, and post-transplantation exposures and other underlying risk factors. Guidelines for screening and preventive practices for HCT survivors were originally published in 2006 and then updated in 2012. An international group of experts was convened to review the contemporary literature and update the recommendations while considering the changing practices of HCT and cellular therapy. This review provides updated pediatric and adult survivorship guidelines for HCT and cellular therapy. The contributory role of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) to the development of late effects is discussed, but cGVHD management is not covered in detail. These guidelines emphasize the special needs of patients with distinct underlying HCT indications or comorbidities (eg, hemoglobinopathies, older adults) but do not replace more detailed group-, disease-, or condition-specific guidelines. Although these recommendations should be applicable to the vast majority of HCT recipients, resource constraints may limit their implementation in some settings.

Health care utilization by long-term survivors of blood or marrow transplantation-A Bone Marrow Transplant Survivor Study report

BACKGROUND

Blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) survivors carry a high burden of morbidity, yet health care utilization by this vulnerable population remains understudied. Patterns and predictors of various domains of health care utilization in long-term BMT survivors were evaluated.

METHODS

Study participants were drawn from the Bone Marrow Transplant Survivor Study (BMTSS). Patients transplanted between 1974 and 2014 at one of three transplant centers who had survived ≥2 years after BMT and were aged ≥18 years at the time of the study were included. A BMTSS survey served as the source of data for health care utilization, sociodemographics, and chronic health conditions. Domains of health care utilization in the 2 years preceding study participation included routine checkups, BMT-related visits, transplant/cancer center visits, emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations, and high health care utilization (≥7 physician visits during the 2 years before the study). Clinical characteristics and therapeutic exposures were abstracted from medical records.

RESULTS

In this cohort of 3342 BMT survivors (52% allogeneic), the prevalence of health care utilization declined over time since BMT for both allogeneic and autologous BMT survivors, such that among those who had survived ≥20 years, only 49%-53% had undergone routine checkups, 37%-38% reported BMT-related visits, and 28%-29% reported transplant/cancer center visits. The presence of severe/life-threatening conditions and chronic graft-vs-host disease increased the odds of health care utilization across all domains. Lower education, lack of insurance, and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with a lower prevalence of routine checkups and/or transplant/cancer center visits. Lower income increased the odds of ER visits but reduced the odds of hospitalizations or high health care utilization.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified vulnerable populations of long-term BMT survivors who would benefit from specialized risk-based anticipatory care to reduce high health care utilization, ER visits, and hospitalizations.

Risky health behaviors and subsequent late mortality after blood or marrow transplantation: a BMTSS report

We examined the association between risky health behaviors (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and lack of vigorous physical activity) and all-cause and cause-specific late mortality after blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) to understand the role played by potentially modifiable risk factors. Study participants were drawn from the BMT Survivor Study (BMTSS) and included patients who received transplantation between 1974 and 2014, had survived ≥2 years after BMT, and were aged ≥18 years at study entry. Survivors provided information on sociodemographic characteristics, chronic health conditions, and health behaviors. National Death Index was used to determine survival and cause of death. Multivariable regression analyses determined the association between risky health behaviors and all-cause mortality (Cox regression) and nonrecurrence-related mortality (NRM; subdistribution hazard regression), after adjusting for relevant sociodemographic, clinical variables and therapeutic exposures. Overall, 3866 participants completed the BMTSS survey and were followed for a median of 5 years to death or 31 December 2021; and 856 participants (22.1%) died after survey completion. Risky health behaviors were associated with increased hazard of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] former smoker, 1.2; aHR current smoker, 1.7; reference, nonsmoker; aHR heavy drinker, 1.4; reference, nonheavy drinker; and aHR no vigorous activity, 1.2; reference, vigorous activity) and NRM (aHR former smoker, 1.3; aHR current smoker, 1.6; reference, nonsmoker; aHR heavy drinker, 1.4; reference: nonheavy drinker; and aHR no vigorous activity, 1.2; reference, vigorous activity). The association between potentially modifiable risky health behaviors and late mortality offers opportunities for development of interventions to improve both the quality and quantity of life after BMT.

Malignant Neoplasms of the Gastrointestinal Tract After Blood or Marrow Transplant

Importance

Survivors of blood or marrow transplant (BMT) are at increased risk of subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs). Cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) system are of special interest because their clinical behavior is often aggressive, necessitating early detection by increasing awareness of high-risk populations.

Objective

To describe the risk of SMNs in the GI tract after BMT.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A cohort study of 6710 individuals who lived at least 2 years after BMT performed between January 1, 1974, and December 31, 2014, at City of Hope, University of Minnesota, or University of Alabama at Birmingham. End of follow-up was March 23, 2020. Data analysis was performed between September 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022.

Exposures

Demographic and clinical factors; therapeutic exposures before or as part of BMT.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Development of SMNs in the GI tract after BMT. Participants self-reported SMNs in the GI tract; these were confirmed with pathology reports, medical records, or both. For deceased patients, death records were used. Standardized incidence ratios determined excess risk of SMNs in the GI tract compared with that of the general population. Fine-Gray proportional subdistribution hazard models assessed the association between risk factors and SMNs in the GI tract.

Results

The cohort of 6710 individuals included 3444 (51.3%) autologous and 3266 (48.7%) allogeneic BMT recipients. A total of 3917 individuals (58.4%) were male, and the median age at BMT was 46 years (range, 0-78 years). After 62 479 person-years of follow-up, 148 patients developed SMNs in the GI tract. The standardized incidence ratios for developing specific SMNs ranged from 2.1 for colorectal cancer (95% CI, 1.6-2.8; P < .001) to 7.8 for esophageal cancer (95% CI, 5.0-11.6; P < .001). Exposure to cytarabine for conditioning (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR], 3.1; 95% CI, 1.5-6.6) was associated with subsequent colorectal cancer. Compared with autologous BMT recipients, allogeneic BMT recipients with chronic graft-vs-host disease were at increased risk for esophageal cancer (SHR, 9.9; 95% CI, 3.2-30.5). Conditioning with etoposide (SHR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5) and pre-BMT anthracycline exposure (SHR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.3-23.4) were associated with an increased risk of liver cancer compared with no exposure to the respective agents.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this cohort study are relevant for oncologists and nononcologists who care for the growing number of survivors of transplant. Awareness of subgroups of survivors of BMT at high risk for specific types of SMNs in the GI tract may influence recommendations regarding modifiable risk factors, as well as individualized screening.

Excellent results of screening for subsequent breast cancers in long-term survivors of childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma-Results of a population-based study

Introduction

Subsequent breast cancer (SBC) represents a major complication in childhood cancer survivors and screening for SBC in survivors after incidental irradiation of breasts is recommended. In this article, we report the results and discuss benefits of SBC screening in female pts treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) in Slovenia in a period of 45 years.

Methods

Between 1966 and 2010, 117 females were treated for HL under the age of 19 in Slovenia. One hundred five of them survived for 5 years and were included in our study. They were 3-18 (med. 15) years old at diagnosis and followed for 6-52 (med. 28) years. Eighty-three percent of them had chest RT with a median dose of 30 Gy. Ninety-seven (92%) of 105 pts were regularly followed according to the international guidelines including yearly screening mammography/breast MRI in those who received chest RT.

Results

We diagnosed 10 SBCs in eight pts 14-39 (med. 24) years after diagnosis at the age of 28-52 (med. 42) years. At 40 years of follow-up, cumulative incidence of SBCs in females who got chest RT was 15.2%. Seven of eight patients (with 9 SBCs) got chest RT with 24-80 (med. 36) Gy at the age of 12 to 18 (median 17) years. Two patients in this group got bilateral SBC. One patient got invasive SBC after being treated with ChT containing high-dose of anthracyclines without chest RT at the age of 13. All eight invasive SBCs were invasive ductal cancers, HER2 receptors negative, all but one with positive hormonal receptors. Six invasive cancers were of stage T1N0, one T1N1mi, only one, diagnosed before era of screening, was of T2N1. None of 8 pts died of SBC.

Conclusion

After introduction of regular breast screening in our female patients, who received chest RT in childhood, all SBCs were of early stage and no patients died of SBC. Survivors of pediatric HL should be informed about the risk of late sequelae of treatment for HL, including SBC. Regular follow-up with breast cancer screening and breast self-examination is of vital importance in those treated with chest RT.

Total Body Irradiation-Based Conditioning Regimen Improved the Survival of Adult Patients With T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma After Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is one of the consolidation modalities for adult patients with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL). However, the optimal conditioning regimen needs to be explored. In the present study, 40 patients with T-LBL undergoing allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed, including 23/40 (57.5%) with total body irradiation (TBI)–based conditioning regimen and 17/40 (42.5%) with busulfan (BU)-based regimen. TBI–based regimen significantly increased the cumulative incidence (CI) of grade II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) as compared with BU-based regimen (13.0% vs 0%, P = 0.000). The relapse risk was significantly lowered in TBI-based group with a 2-year CI of relapse (CIR) of 9.1% as compared with that of 49.6% in BU-based group (P = 0.008). The 1-year and 2-year non-relapse mortalities (NRMs) for all patients were 5.0% and 10.3%, respectively. The 1-year and 2-year NRMs were 8.9% and 16.0% in TBI-based group, and 0.00% and 0.00% in BU-based group (P = 0.140). The 2-year probabilities of overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were 83.0% [95% confidence interval, 63.4%–100%] and 74.0% (95% confidence interval, 54.4%–93.6%) in TBI-based group, which were higher than that of 35.0% (95% confidence interval, 0.0%–72.2%) and 50.0% (95% confidence interval, 24.5%–75.4%) in BU-based group, respectively (P = 0.020 for OS and P = 0.081 for RFS). In multivariate analysis, TBI-based regimen significantly reduced the risk of relapse [subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) = 0.030, 95% CI, 0.002–0.040, P = 0.000] and improved the OS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.121, 95% CI, 0.021–0.683, P = 0.017] as an independent prognostic factor. These results suggested that TBI-based regimen might be an optimal choice for adult patients with T-LBL undergoing allo-HSCT.

Trends in Late Mortality and Life Expectancy After Allogeneic Blood or Marrow Transplantation Over 4 Decades: A Blood or Marrow Transplant Survivor Study Report

Importance

The past 4 decades have seen substantial changes in allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) practice, with the overarching goal of expanding the eligible patient pool while optimizing disease-free survival.

Objective

To determine trends in life expectancy and cause-specific late mortality after allogeneic BMT performed over a 40-year period.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A retrospective cohort study of 4741 individuals who lived 2 or more years after allogeneic BMT performed between January 1, 1974, and December 31, 2014, was conducted at City of Hope, University of Minnesota, or University of Alabama at Birmingham. The end of follow-up was March 23, 2020.

Exposures

Allogeneic BMT performed in 3 eras: 1974-1989, 1990-2004, and 2005-2014.

Main Outcomes and Measures

All-cause, recurrence-related, and nonrecurrence-related mortality and projected reduction in life expectancy. Information regarding vital status and cause of death was obtained from the National Death Index Plus and Accurint databases.

Results

Of the 4741 individuals included in the study, 2735 (57.7%) were male; median age at BMT was 33 years (range, 0-75 years). The cumulative incidence of recurrence-related mortality plateaued at 10 years, reaching 12.2% (95% CI, 11.0%-13.4%) at 30 years from BMT. In contrast, the incidence of nonrecurrence-related mortality continued to increase and was 22.3% (95% CI, 20.4%-24.3%) at 30 years. Leading causes of nonrecurrence-related mortality included infection (30-year cumulative incidence, 10.7%; standardized mortality ratio [SMR], 52.0), subsequent malignant neoplasms (30-year cumulative incidence, 7.0%; SMR, 4.8), cardiovascular disease (30-year cumulative incidence, 4.6%; SMR, 4.1), and pulmonary disease (30-year cumulative incidence, 2.7%; SMR, 13.9). Compared with the general population, the relative mortality remained higher at 30 or more years after BMT (SMR, 5.4; 95% CI, 4.0-7.1). The cohort experienced a 20.8% reduction in life expectancy (8.7 years of life lost). Compared with 1974-1989 (reference), the adjusted 10-year hazard ratio (HR) of all-cause mortality declined over the 3 eras (1990-2004: HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.85; 2005-2014: HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.39-0.69; P < .001 for trend), as did years of life lost (1974-1989: 9.9 years [reference]; 1990-2004: 6.5 years; and 2005-2014: 4.2 years). The reduction in late mortality was most pronounced among individuals who underwent transplantation at ages younger than 18 years (1990-2004: HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.96; 2005-2014: HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.16-0.54; reference: 1974-1989; P < .001 for trend) and those who received bone marrow (1990-2004: HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54-0.90; 2005-2014: HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.69; reference: 1974-1989; P < .001 for trend).

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study noted that late mortality among recipients of allogeneic BMT has decreased over the past 40 years; however, life expectancy was not restored to expected rates compared with the general US population. Furthermore, the reduction in risk of late mortality appeared to be confined to those who underwent transplantation at a younger age or those who received bone marrow. Further efforts to mitigate disease recurrence, infections, subsequent neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary disease may be useful in this population.

Impact of Total Body Irradiation-Based Myeloablative Conditioning Regimens in Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is a curative treatment option for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Both total body irradiation (TBI)-based and chemotherapy only-based myeloablative transplantation conditioning regimens have been applied, but the optimal regimen remains unclear. We performed a systematic review to assess the efficacy of TBI-based versus chemotherapy only-based myeloablative conditioning regimens. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases and meeting abstracts for all studies comparing TBI-based and chemotherapy only-based conditioning regimens in patients who underwent allo-HCT for ALL. Two authors independently reviewed all studies for inclusion and extracted data related to overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), relapse, and acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Eight studies were included in the final analysis. The overall methodological quality of the included studies was optimal. TBI-based regimens showed evidence of benefit compared with chemotherapy only-based conditioning regimens in terms of relapse (relative risk [RR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72 to 0.94; 6 studies, 5091 patients), OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.89; 7 studies, 4727 patients), and PFS (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.85; 7 studies, 4727 patients). The TBI-based regimen did not increase the likelihood of grade II-IV acute GVHD (RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.36; 5 studies, 4996 patients) or chronic GVHD (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.21; 5 studies, 4490 patients), or NRM (RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.28; 6 studies, 4522 patients). However, TBI-based regimens were associated with an increased risk of grade III-IV acute GVHD (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.63; 3 studies, 3675 patients). A subgroup comparison of patients age ≥16 years showed similar results. This systematic review represents evidence supporting the use of TBI-based conditioning regimen in patients undergoing allo-HCT for ALL who are candidates for myeloablative conditioning, as it offers better OS, PFS, and less relapse with acceptable NRM.