Prognostic factors for survival in children who relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia

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Date
2020Author
Hazar, VolkanTezcan Karasu, Gulsun
Ozturk, Gulyuz
Kupesiz, Alphan
Aksoylar, Serap
Ozbek, Namık
Uygun, Vedat
Ileri, Talia
Okur, Fatma Visal
Kocak, Ulker
Caki Kilic, Suar
Akcay, Arzu
Guler, Elif
Kansoy, Savas
Karakukcu, Musa
Bayram, Ibrahim
Aksu , Tekin
Yesilipek, Akif
Karagun, Barbaros Sahin
Yilmaz, Sebnem
Ertem, Mehmet
Uckan, Duygu
Fisgin, Tunc
Gursel, Orhan
Yaman, Yöntem
Bozkurt, Ceyhun
Gokce, Muge
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Hazar, V., Tezcan Karasu, G., Öztürk, G., Küpesiz, A., Aksoylar, S., Özbek, N., Uygun, V., İleri, T., Okur, F. V., Koçak, Ü., Kılıç, S. Ç., Akçay, A., Güler, E., Kansoy, S., Karakükcü, M., Bayram, İ., Aksu, T., Yeşilipek, A., Karagün, B. Ş., Yılmaz, Ş., … Turkish Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation Study Group (2020). Prognostic factors for survival in children who relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia. Pediatric transplantation, e13942. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/petr.13942Abstract
Background: Post-transplant relapse has a dismal prognosis in children with acute leukemia undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Data on risk factors, treatment options, and outcomes are limited.
Procedure: In this retrospective multicenter study in which a questionnaire was sent to all pediatric transplant centers reporting relapse after allo-HSCT for a cohort of 938 children with acute leukemia, we analyzed 255 children with relapse of acute leukemia after their first allo-HSCT.
Results: The median interval from transplantation to relapse was 180 days, and the median follow-up from relapse to the last follow-up was 1844 days. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 12.0%. The main cause of death was disease progression or subsequent relapse (82.6%). The majority of children received salvage treatment with curative intent without a second HSCT (67.8%), 22.0% of children underwent a second allo-HSCT, and 10.2% received palliative therapy. Isolated extramedullary relapse (hazard ratio (HR): 0.607, P = .011) and relapse earlier than 365 days post-transplantation (HR: 2.101, P < .001 for 0-180 days; HR: 1.522, P = .041 for 181-365 days) were found in multivariate analysis to be significant prognostic factors for outcome. The type of salvage therapy in chemosensitive relapse was identified as a significant prognostic factor for OS.
Conclusion: A salvage approach with curative intent may be considered for patients with post-transplant relapse, even if they relapse in the first year post-transplantation. For sustainable remission, a second allo-HSCT may be recommended for patients who achieve complete remission after reinduction treatment.