Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Therapy-Related Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Patients who develop therapy-related myelodysplastic syndromes (t-MDSs) or acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) following prior chemotherapy or an autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT), have a poor prognosis. An earlier analysis of allogeneic HCT (n=868, 1990-2004) showed 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) were 22% and 21% (reference). Furthermore, older age, graft source other than a HLA-matched sibling or HLA well matched unrelated donor (URD), t-AML not in remission or advanced t-MDS, and poor risk cytogenetics were associated with worse outcomes.

Modern supportive care and conditioning regimens including reduced intensity (RIC) regimens may have improved outcomes. Therefore we analyzed 1531 HCT for t-AML (n = 772) or t-MDS (n = 759) performed from 2000 to 2014.

The median age at transplant was 52 (18-77) for t-AML and 59 (18-74) for t-MDS. Eleven percent of patient with t-AML and 24% of patient with t-MDS had a prior autologous transplant. A myeloablative regimen was used for conditioning in 61% of patients with t-AML and 49% of patients with t-MDS (Table 1).

For t-AML, the 5-year non-relapse mortality (NRM) and relapse rates (RR) were 33% (95% confidence interval [CI], 30-36) and 43% (40-47), respectively. For t-MDS, the 5 year TRM and RR were 32% (29-36) and 46% (43-50), respectively. Five year DFS and OS were 24% (21-27) and 25% (22-28), respectively, for patients with t-AML. Five year DFS and OS were 21% (18-24) and 27% (23-31), respectively, for patients with t-MDS.

In multivariate analysis, t-AML OS and DFS was worse for: previous autologous transplant, relapsed disease at HCT, intermediate or adverse cytogenetics, partially matched and cord blood grafts, and RIC. For t-MDS: age greater than 60, previous autologous transplant, very high IPSS score, and use of HLA-partially matched unrelated grafts.

A significant minority of patients with t-AML and t-MDS can achieve long-term remission with allogeneic HCT, yet risks of both NRM and relapse are still excessive. Relapse is the major cause of treatment failure.