Feasibility of allo-SCT after hypomethylating therapy with decitabine for myelodysplastic syndrome

Decitabine is a hypomethylating agent with activity in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). It is largely unknown whether treatment with this drug before allo-SCT will increase the toxicity of the preparative regimen or otherwise affect the results of the transplant. We report the outcome of 17 patients with MDS with a median age of 55.5 years (range, 36-66 years) who underwent an allo-SCT (12 siblings, 5 unrelated) after prior therapy with decitabine. Preparative regimens consisted of fludarabine in combination with BU (n=8) or melphalan (n=9). The source of stem cells was marrow in four patients and peripheral blood (PB) in 13 patients. Thirteen patients were in CR within 100 days of transplant. With a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 3-35 months), 11 patients are alive; eight in CR and three with progressive disease. Prior therapy with hypomethylating agents did not increase toxicity and may improve the outcome of allogeneic transplant in MDS and should be evaluated in a prospective trial.

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in patients >65 years of age

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We present a retrospective analysis of 99 consecutive patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphomas who were older than 65 years at the time of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous progenitor cell transplantation.

RESULTS

Median age at transplant was 68 years (range 65-82). Thirty-six percent of patients had a hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index of >2 at the time of transplantation. The cumulative nonrelapse mortality was 8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4-17] at 26 months and the 3-year overall survival (OS) was 61% (95% CI 49-71). On multivariate analysis, disease status at transplant and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > normal were significant predictors for OS (P = 0.002). Comorbidity index of >2 did not impact OS but did predict for higher risk of developing grade 3-5 toxicity (P = 0.006). Eight patients developed secondary myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myelogenous leukemia after transplantation (cumulative incidence 16%).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with relapsed lymphomas who are >65 years of age should be considered transplant candidates, particularly if they have chemosensitive disease and normal LDH levels at the time of transplantation. Patients with comorbidity index of >2 can also undergo transplantation with acceptable outcomes but may be at higher risk for developing toxicity.