Allo-SCT using cord blood or matched-sibling donors comparable in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma

07-12-2006

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation using umbilical cord blood or matched-sibling donors is comparable in adults with high-risk advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"We compared the safety and efficacy of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) after reduced-intensity conditioning using either unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB) donors or matched-sibling donors (MSDs) for 21 adults at high risk with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (UCB, n=9; MSD, n=12).

"Both groups were comparable except for younger age in the UCB cohort (median, 28 vs. 42 years; p=0.02)," wrote investigators in the United States.

According to N.S. Majhail and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, "Neutrophil recovery occurred earlier in the MSD group (median, 7 vs. 10 days; p=0.02).

"All patients had sustained donor engraftment by day 60. Cumulative incidence of acute severe graft-versus-host-disease (33 vs. 33%; p=0.99), chronic graft-versus-host-disease (11 vs. 33%; p=0.24), and 100-day treatment-related mortality (111 vs. 17%; p=0.80) were comparable."

"With median follow-up periods of 17 and 24 months, the 2-year progression-free survival rates were 25% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0-55%) for UCB and 20% (95% CI, 0-44%) for MSD allo-SCT (p=0.67)," researchers reported.

The authors concluded, "Our results suggest comparable outcomes for reduced-intensity allo-SCT using UCB or MSD in adults at high risk with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma."

Majhail and colleagues published their study in Blood (Comparable results of umbilical cord blood and HLA-matched sibling donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after reduced-intensity preparative regimen for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma. Blood, 2006;107(9):3804-3807).

For additional information, contact L.J. Burns, University of Minnesota, Division Hematology Oncology & Transplantation, Mayo Mail Code 286, 420 Delware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Publisher contact information for the journal Blood is: American Society Hematology, 1900 M Street. NW Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036, USA.

Keywords: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, Stem Cell Transplantation, Umbilical Cord Blood Versus Matched-Sibling Donor, Sustained Donor Engraftment, Progression-Free Survival, Hodgkin Lymphoma.

This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.