Cytogenetics play a major role in determining the prognosis of patients with AML. However, the existing cytogenetics classifications were developed on chemotherapy-treated patients and may not be optimal for patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We studied 821 adult patients reported to the CIBMTR who underwent HCT for AML in first or second CR between 1999 and 2004. We compared the ability of the 6 existing classifications to stratify patients by overall survival (OS). We then defined a new schema specifically applicable to HCT patients using this patient cohort. Under this CIBMTR schema, inv(16) is favorable, complex karyotype (4+ abnormalities) is adverse, and all other classified abnormalities are intermediate in predicting survival after HCT (5y OS 64%, 18%, and 50%, respectively, p=0.0001). This schema stratified patients into 3 groups with similar non-relapse mortality, but significantly different incidences of relapse, overall and leukemia-free survival. It applied to patients regardless of their disease status (CR1 or CR2), donor type (MRD or URD), or conditioning intensity (myeloablative or reduced intensity). This transplantation-specific classification could be adopted for prognostication purposes and to stratify patients with AML and karyotypic abnormalities entering HCT clinical trials.

We evaluated the effect of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) on relapse and survival after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for multiple myeloma (MM) using non-myeloablative conditioning (NMA) and reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC). The outcomes of 177 HLA-identical sibling HSCT recipients between 1997 and 2005 following NMA (n=98) or RIC (n=79) were analyzed. In 105 patients, autografting was followed by planned NMA/RIC allogeneic transplantation. The impact of GVHD was assessed as a time-dependent covariate using Cox models. The incidence of acute GVHD (grades I–IV) was 42% (95% confidence interval (CI) 35 – 49%) and of chronic GVHD at five years was 59% (95% CI 49 – 69%), with 70% developing extensive chronic GVHD. In multivariate analysis, acute GVHD (≥ grade I) was associated with an increased risk of TRM (relative risk (RR)=2.42; p=0.016), whereas limited chronic GVHD significantly decreased the risk of myeloma relapse (RR=0.35, p=0.035) and was associated with superior event-free survival (RR=0.40, p=0.027). Acute GVHD had a detrimental effect on survival, especially in those receiving autologous followed by allogeneic HSCT (RR=3.52; p=0.001). The reduction in relapse risk associated with chronic GVHD is consistent with a beneficial graft-versus-myeloma effect, but this did not translate into a survival advantage.

As vertebrate embryos develop to adulthood, their organs dramatically increase size and change tissue architecture. Here, we used a multicolor clonal analysis to define contributions of many individual cardiomyocytes as the zebrafish heart undergoes morphogenesis from a primitive embryonic structure into its complex adult form. We find that the single cardiomyocyte-thick wall of the juvenile ventricle forms by lateral expansion of several dozen cardiomyocytes into muscle patches of variable sizes and shapes. As juveniles mature into adults, this structure becomes fully enveloped by a new lineage of cortical muscle. Adult cortical muscle originates from a small number (~8) of cardiomyocytes that display clonal dominance reminiscent of stem cell populations. Cortical cardiomyocytes initially emerge from internal myofibers that in rare events breach the juvenile ventricular wall and expand over the surface. Our study illuminates dynamic proliferative behaviors that generate adult cardiac structure, revealing clonal dominance as a key mechanism that shapes a vertebrate organ.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a clonal stem cell disorder characterized by cytopenias, splenomegaly, marrow fibrosis, and systemic symptoms due to elevated inflammatory cytokines. MF is associated with decreased survival. The quality of life of patients with MF is similar to other advanced malignancies. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation is a curative treatment, but is applicable to a minority of patients with MF. None of the conventional therapies are known to alter the natural history of the disease. Significant progress has been made in the last few years in the understanding of disease biology of MF. Discovery of the JAK2V617F mutation paved the way for drug discovery in MF, and the first JAK1/2 inhibitor, ruxolitinib, has been approved by FDA and Health Canada. Several other JAK1/2 inhibitors are at various stages of clinical development. As a consequence, the therapeutic landscape of MF is changing from a disease where no effective therapies existed to one with several novel treatment options on the horizon. In this report, we assess the changing therapeutic options for MF, and critically analyze the position of novel treatments in the current armamentarium.

Summary: High-throughput sequencing currently generates a wealth of small RNA (sRNA) data, making data mining a topical issue. Processing of these large data sets is inherently multidimensional as length, abundance, sequence composition, and genomic location all hold clues to sRNA function. Analysis can be challenging because the formulation and testing of complex hypotheses requires combined use of visualization, annotation and abundance profiling. To allow flexible generation and querying of these disparate types of information, we have developed the shortran pipeline for analysis of plant or animal short RNA sequencing data. It comprises nine modules and produces both graphical and MySQL format output.

Availability: shortran is freely available and can be downloaded from http://users-mb.au.dk/pmgrp/shortran/

Contact: vgupta@cs.au.dk or sua@mb.au.dk

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Although reduced intensity (RIC) and nonmyeloablative (NMA) conditioning regimens have been used for over a decade, their relative efficacy versus myeloablative (MA) approaches to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplasia (MDS) is unknown. We compared disease status, donor, graft and recipient characteristics with outcomes of 3731 MA with 1448 RIC/NMA procedures performed at 217 centers between 1997 and 2004. Five year univariate probabilities and multivariate relative risk (RR) outcomes of relapse, transplant related mortality (TRM), disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) are reported. Adjusted OS at 5 years was 34%, 33%, and 26% for MA, RIC and NMA transplants, respectively. NMA conditioning resulted in inferior DFS and OS but there was no difference in DFS and OS between RIC and MA regimens. Late TRM negates early decreases in toxicity with RIC and NMA regimens. Our data suggest higher regimen intensity may contribute to optimal survival in patients with AML/MDS, suggesting roles for both regimen intensity and graft vs. leukemia in these diseases. Prospective studies comparing regimens are needed to confirm this finding and determine the optimal approach to patients who are eligible for either MA or RIC/NMA conditioning.

We compared outcomes of patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) who received G-CSF stimulated bone marrow (G-BM) (n=78), unstimulated bone marrow (BM) (n=547), or peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) (n=134) from an HLA-matched sibling. Transplantations occurred in 1997–2003. Rates of neutrophil and platelet recovery were not different among the three treatment groups. Grade 2–4 acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (RR 0.82, p=0.539), grade 3–4 acute GVHD (RR 0.74, p=0.535) and chronic GVHD (RR 1.56, p=0.229) were similar after G-BM and BM transplants. Grade 2–4 acute GVHD (RR 2.37, p=0.012) but not grade 3–4 acute GVHD (RR 1.66, p=0.323) and chronic GVHD (RR 5.09, p<0.001) were higher after PBPC transplants compared to G-BM. Grade 2–4 (RR 2.90, p<0.001), grade 3–4 (RR 2.24, p=0.009) acute GVHD and chronic GVHD (RR 3.26, p<0.001) were higher after PBPC transplants compared to BM. Mortality risks were lower after transplantation of BM compared to G-BM (RR 0.63, p=0.05). These data suggest no advantage to using G-BM and the observed higher rates of acute and chronic GVHD in PBPC recipients warrants cautious use of this graft source for SAA. Taken together, BM is the preferred graft for HLA matched sibling transplants for SAA.

Aims:

To study the effect of intravenous magnesium sulfate infusion on clinical outcome of patients of acute stroke.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty consecutive cases of acute ischemic stroke hospitalised within 24 h of an episode of stroke were taken as subjects. All subjects underwent a computed tomography head, and those found to have evidence of bleed/space-occupying lesions were excluded from the study. The subjects taken up for the study were divided into two groups of 30 subjects each. Both the groups received the standard protocol management for acute ischemic stroke. Subjects of Group 1 additionally received intravenous magnesium sulfate as initial 4 g bolus dose over 15 min followed by 16 g as slow infusion over the next 24 h. In all the subjects of the two study groups, serum magnesium levels were estimated at the time of admission (Day 0), Day 1 and Day 2 of hospitalization using an atomic absorption spectrometer.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Scandinavian stroke scores were calculated on Day 3, day of discharge and Day 28. Paired t-test was employed for comparison of stroke scores on Day 3, day of discharge and Day 28 within the same group and the unpaired t-test was used for the intergroup comparison, i.e. comparison of stroke scores of control group with corresponding stroke scores of magnesium group.

Results:

Comparison of stroke scores on Day 3 and day of discharge, on the day of discharge and Day 28 and on Day 3 and Day 28 in the magnesium group produced a t-value of 5.000 and P <0.001, which was highly significant. However, the comparison of the mean stroke scores between the magnesium and the control groups on Day 3, day of discharge and Day 28 yielded a P-value of >0.05, which was not significant.

Conclusions:

The study failed to document a statistical significant stroke recovery in spite of achieving a significant rise in serum magnesium level, more than that necessary for neuroprotection, with an intravenous magnesium sulfate regime.

Purpose

Approximately 13% of patients lacking an HLA-identical sibling have a 1-antigen-mismatched related donor (MMRD). Historically, outcomes using a 1-antigen MMRD were considered equivalent to a matched unrelated donor (UD). Recent improvements in unrelated donor (UD) stem cell transplantation (SCT) due to better molecular HLA-matching justifies investigating if UD should be preferred to MMRD in adult patients with acute leukemia.

Patients and Methods

The outcomes of MMRD (n=89) and HLA-A, B, C, DRB1 allele matched UD (n=700) SCT reported to the CIBMTR between 1995 and 2005 were compared. Patients were transplanted for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) in first or second complete remission.

Results

Donor type was not associated with hematological recovery. Univariate and multivariate comparisons of MMRD vs. HLA-matched UD transplants showed no statistically significant differences in overall survival, disease free survival, transplant related mortality, relapse, and 100-day grade III–IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). MMRD SCT was associated with a lower rate of chronic GVHD at 1-year, 35% vs 47% p=0.03, which was confirmed in multivariate analysis (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.39-0.85, p<0.01).

Conclusion

HLA-matched UD and MMRD SCT are associated with comparable survival. Since less chronic GVHD was observed in MMRD, this option when available remains the first choice in acute leukemia patients without an HLA-identical sibling in need of allogeneic transplantation.

Summary

Prior therapy with rituximab might attenuate disparate histocompatibility antigen presentation by B cells, thus decreased the risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and improved survival. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the outcomes of 435 B-cell lymphoma patients who received allogeneic transplantation from 1999 to 2004 in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database: 179 subjects who received rituximab within 6 months prior to transplantation (RTX cohort) and 256 subjects who did not receive RTX within 6 months prior to transplantation (No-RTX cohort). The RTX cohort had a significantly lower incidence of treatment-related mortality (TRM) (relative risk [RR] = 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47 - 1.0; P = 0.05), lower acute grade II-IV (RR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53 - 0.97; P = 0.03) and III-IV GVHD (RR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34 - 0.91; P = 0.02). There was no difference in the risk of chronic GVHD, disease progression or relapse. Progression-free survival (PFS) (RR = 0.68; 95% CI 0.50 - 0.92; P = 0.01) and overall survival (OS) (RR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.46 - 0.86; P = 0.004) were significantly better in the RTX cohort. Prior RTX therapy correlated with less acute GVHD, similar chronic GVHD, less TRM, better PFS and OS.

The prevalence of obesity in the pediatric population has increased in the last two decades and represents a serious health concern with potential impact on transplantation outcomes. We studied the effect of weight, by age-adjusted body mass index (BMI) percentiles on 1,281 pediatric patients (ages 2-19) with severe aplastic anemia transplanted between 1990 and 2005. The study population was divided into five weight groups: underweight, risk of underweight, normal BMI range, risk of overweight and overweight, according to age-adjusted BMI percentiles. Cox proportional hazards regression models for survival and acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), performed using weight groups as the main effect and the normal BMI range (26-75th percentile) as the baseline comparison, found higher mortality among overweight children (>95th percentile adjusted for age). Weight at transplantation did not increase the adjusted risk of grades III-IV aGVHD. One- and two-year overall survival rates were 60% and 59% for overweight children, compared to rates greater than 70% in children with lower BMI at both time points (p<0.001). Other significant factors associated with survival included race and region, donor type, conditioning regimens in related donor transplants, performance score and year of transplant. In conclusion, overweight children with aplastic anemia have worse outcomes after HCT. The impact of obesity on survival outcomes in children should be discussed during pre-transplant counseling.

Purpose

Transplantation-related mortality (TRM) is a major barrier to the success of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).

Patients and Methods

We assessed changes in the incidence of TRM and overall survival from 1985 through 2004 in 5,972 patients younger than age 50 years who received myeloablative conditioning and HCT for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR1) or second complete remission (CR2).

Results

Among HLA-matched sibling donor transplantation recipients, the relative risks (RRs) for TRM were 0.5 and 0.3 for 2000 to 2004 compared with those for 1985 to 1989 in patients in CR1 and CR2, respectively (P < .001). The RRs for all causes of mortality in the latter period were 0.73 (P = .001) and 0.60 (P = .005) for the CR1 and CR2 groups, respectively. Among unrelated donor transplantation recipients, the RRs for TRM were 0.73 (P = .095) and 0.58 (P < .001) for 2000 to 2004 compared with those in 1990 to 1994 in the CR1 and CR2 groups, respectively. Reductions in mortality were observed in the CR2 group (RR, 0.74; P = .03) but not in the CR1 group.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that innovations in transplantation care since the 1980s and 1990s have reduced the risk of TRM in patients undergoing allogeneic HCT for AML and that this reduction has been accompanied by improvements in overall survival.

Preservation of fertility after hematopoietic-cell transplantation (HCT) can have a significant influence on the quality of life of transplant survivors. We describe 178 pregnancies in HCT recipients that were reported to the CIBMTR between 2002 and 2007. There were 83 pregnancies in female HCT recipients and 95 pregnancies in female partners of male HCT recipients. Indications for transplantation included hematologic and other malignancies (N=99) and non-malignant disorders (N=79, of which 75 patients had severe aplastic anemia). The cohort included recipients of autologous HCT (20 women, 13 men), myeloablative allogeneic HCT (12 women, 50 men) and non-myeloablative allogeneic HCT (2 women, 2 men). Age at HCT was <20 years for 50% of women and 19% of men. Conditioning regimens included total body irradiation (TBI) in 16% of women and 19% of men; doses were myeloablative in 10% of women and in 16% of men. Live births were reported in 86% of pregnancies in partners of male transplant patients and 85% of pregnancies in female transplant patients, with most pregnancies occurring 5-10 years after HCT. We conclude that some HCT recipients can retain fertility, including patients who have received TBI and/or myeloablative conditioning. Young patients undergoing HCT should be counseled both before and after HCT about potential loss of fertility, methods for preserving fertility and planning for future pregnancy. Fertility and outcomes of pregnancy after HCT need prospective evaluation in large transplant cohorts.

Chronic GVHD clinical trials often use early endpoints, such as clinical response at 3 or 6 months as the primary endpoint, instead of measures of long-term treatment success, such as the ability to discontinue immunosuppressive treatment after development of immune tolerance and resolution of active disease. We evaluated the ability of defined overall and organ-specific response categories at 3 and 6 months to predict subsequent success or failure of primary treatment. The analysis included 116 patients who were evaluated at 3 months and 94 patients who were evaluated at 6 months after enrollment. Success was identified as withdrawal of systemic treatment after resolution of chronic GVHD without secondary therapy. Failure was identified as secondary systemic treatment, or death or development of bronchiolitis obliterans during primary treatment. With most definitions, response at 3 and 6 months did not show statistically significant correlation with subsequent success of primary treatment. With some definitions, the absence of response at 6 months showed statistically significant correlation with subsequent failure of primary treatment. These results suggest that early response to agents currently used for primary treatment does not necessarily predict subsequent tolerance, an important endpoint in the management of chronic GVHD. Rigorously defined clinical response is an appropriate primary endpoint for studies of chronic GVHD, but future clinical trials should provide for extended follow-up in order to ascertain late outcomes that are not necessarily predictable by evaluation of response before 6 months.

The incidence of excessive adiposity is increasing worldwide and is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. We compared outcomes by body mass index (BMI) for adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who underwent autologous (auto, n=373), related donor (RD, n=2041), or unrelated donor (URD, n=1801) allogeneic myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) using marrow or peripheral blood stem cells reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) from 1995-2004. Four weight groups by BMI (kg/m2) were defined: underweight < 18; normal 18 – 25; overweight >25 – 30; and obese > 30. Multivariable analysis referenced to the normal weight group showed an increased risk of death for underweight patients in the RD group (RR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.28-2.89; P = 0.002) but not in the URD group. There were no other differences in outcomes among the other weight groups within the other HCT groups. Overweight and obese patients enjoyed a modest decrease in relapse incidence, though this did not translate into a survival benefit. Small numbers of patients limit the ability to better characterize the adverse outcomes seen in the underweight RD but not the underweight URD allogeneic HCT patients. Obesity alone should not be considered a barrier to HCT.

The aim of our study was to evaluate clinical, radiological and functional outcomes of selected cases of percutaneous fixation of scaphoid fractures via a dorsal approach. Percutaneous fixation by dorsal approach was done in 32 patients (mean age 32.2 years) involving both fresh and late scaphoid fracture presentations (mean 17 days). Fourteen cases of B1 type, ten cases of B2 and eight cases of C type (Herbert’s classification) were treated. The patients were prospectively followed up clinically and radiologically for a minimum follow-up of 14 months (mean 16 months), and functional outcome and complications were assessed. All fractures united over an average of nine weeks. There was no avascular necrosis or screw cutout with preservation of wrist movement and grip strength. There were no injuries to any at risk anatomical structures. Percutaneous fixation of scaphoid fractures through dorsal approach gives good clinical and functional outcome in acute and chronic scaphoid fractures of B1, B2 and C types (Herbert’s classification).

Purpose

Patients with acute leukemia refractory to induction or reinduction chemotherapy have poor prognoses if they do not undergo hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). However, HSCT when a patient is not in complete remission (CR) is of uncertain benefit. We hypothesized that pretransplantation variables may define subgroups that have a better prognosis.

Patients and Methods

Overall, 2,255 patients who underwent transplantation for acute leukemia in relapse or with primary induction failure after myeloablative conditioning regimen between 1995 and 2004 were reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. The median follow-up of survivors was 61 months. We performed multivariate analysis of pretransplantation variables and developed a predictive scoring system for survival.

Results

The 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 19% for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 16% for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). For AML, five adverse pretransplantation variables significantly influenced survival: first CR duration less than 6 months, circulating blasts, donor other than HLA-identical sibling, Karnofsky or Lansky score less than 90, and poor-risk cytogenetics. For ALL, survival was worse with the following: first refractory or second or greater relapse, ≥ 25% marrow blasts, cytomegalovirus-seropositive donor, and age of 10 years or older. Patients with AML who had a predictive score of 0 had 42% OS at 3 years, whereas OS was 6% for a score ≥ 3. Patients with ALL who had a score of 0 or 1 had 46% 3-year OS but only 10% OS rate for a score ≥ 3.

Conclusion

Pretransplantation variables delineate subgroups with different outcomes. HSCT during relapse can achieve long-term survival in selected patients with acute leukemia.

Failure to engraft donor cells is a devastating complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We describe the results of 122 patients reported to the National Marrow Donor Program between 1990 and 2005, who received a second unrelated donor HCT after failing to achieve an absolute neutrophil count of ≥ 500/ μL without recurrent disease. Patients were transplanted for leukemia (n=83), myelodysplastic disorders (n=16), severe aplastic anemia (n=20) and other diseases (n=3). The median age was 29 years. Twenty-four patients received second grafts from a different unrelated donor. Among 98 patients who received a second graft from the same donor, 28 received products that were previously collected and cryopreserved for the first transplantation. One-year overall survival after second transplant was 11% with 10 patients alive at last follow up. We observed no differences between patients who received grafts from the same or different donors, or in those who received fresh or cryopreserved product. The outcomes after a second allogeneic HCT for primary graft failure are dismal. Identifying risk factors for primary graft failure can decrease the incidence of this complication. Further studies are needed to test whether early recognition and hastened procurement of alternative grafts can improve transplant outcomes for primary graft failure.

Purpose

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) primarily afflict older individuals. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is generally not offered because of concerns of excess morbidity and mortality. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens allow increased use of allogeneic HCT for older patients. To define prognostic factors impacting long-term outcomes of RIC regimens in patients older than age 40 years with AML in first complete remission or MDS and to determine the impact of age, we analyzed data from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR).

Patients and Methods

We reviewed data reported to the CIBMTR (1995 to 2005) on 1,080 patients undergoing RIC HCT. Outcomes analyzed included neutrophil recovery, incidence of acute or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), relapse, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS).

Results

Univariate analyses demonstrated no age group differences in NRM, grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, or relapse. Patients age 40 to 54, 55 to 59, 60 to 64, and ≥ 65 years had 2-year survival rates as follows: 44% (95% CI, 37% to 52%), 50% (95% CI, 41% to 59%), 34% (95% CI, 25% to 43%), and 36% (95% CI, 24% to 49%), respectively, for patients with AML (P = .06); and 42% (95% CI, 35% to 49%), 35% (95% CI, 27% to 43%), 45% (95% CI, 36% to 54%), and 38% (95% CI, 25% to 51%), respectively, for patients with MDS (P = .37). Multivariate analysis revealed no significant impact of age on NRM, relapse, DFS, or OS (all P > .3). Greater HLA disparity adversely affected 2-year NRM, DFS, and OS. Unfavorable cytogenetics adversely impacted relapse, DFS, and OS. Better pre-HCT performance status predicted improved 2-year OS.

Conclusion

With these similar outcomes observed in older patients, we conclude that older age alone should not be considered a contraindication to HCT.

The poor prognosis of patients with prolymphocytic leukemia (PLL) has led some clinicians to recommend allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). However, the data to support this approach is limited to case-reports and small case-series. We reviewed the database of the Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research to determine outcomes after allotransplant for patients with PLL. We identified 47 patients with a median age of 54 years (range, 30–75). With a median follow-up of 13 months, progression-free survival was 33% (95% Confidence Interval 20–47%) at 2 years. The most common cause of death was relapse or progression in 49%. The cumulative incidence of treatment-related mortality at 1-year post transplant was 28%. The small patient population prohibited prognostic factor analysis but these data support consideration of allotransplant for PLL. Further study of a larger population of patients is needed to determine which patients are more likely to benefit.

Myelofibrosis is a myeloproliferative disorder incurable with conventional strategies. Several small series have reported long-term disease free survival after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. In this study, we analyze the outcomes of 289 patients receiving allogeneic transplantation for primary myelofibrosis between 1989 and 2002, from the database of the Center for International Bone Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). The median age was 47 years (range 18-73 years). Donors were HLA identical siblings in 162 patients, unrelated individuals in 101 patients, and HLA non-identical family members in 26 patients. Patients were treated with a variety of conditioning regimens and graft versus host disease prophylaxis regimens. Splenectomy was performed in 65 patients prior to transplantation. The 100-day transplant related mortality was 18% for HLA identical sibling transplants, 35% for unrelated transplants, and 19% for transplants from alternative related donors. Corresponding 5 year overall survival rates were 37%, 30%, and 40% respectively. Disease-free survival rates were 33%, 27% and 22% respectively. Disease-free survival for patients receiving reduced intensity transplants was comparable, 39% for HLA identical sibling donors and 17% for unrelated donors at three years. In this large retrospective series, allogeneic transplantation for myelofibrosis resulted in long-term relapse-free survival in about one-third of patients.

Cytogenetics are an important prognostic factor for patients with MDS. However, existing cytogenetics grouping schemes are based on patients treated with supportive care, and may not be optimal for patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). We previously proposed an SCT-specific cytogenetics grouping scheme for patients with MDS and AML arising from MDS, based on an analysis of patients transplanted at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Under this scheme, abnormalities of chromosome 7 and complex karyotype are considered adverse-risk, while all others are considered standard-risk. In the present retrospective study, we validated this scheme on an independent multicenter cohort of 546 patients. Adverse cytogenetics was the strongest prognostic factor for outcome in this cohort. Four-year relapse-free and overall survival were 42% and 46%, respectively, in the standard risk group, versus 21% and 23% in the adverse group (p<0.0001 for both comparisons). This grouping scheme retained its prognostic significance irrespective of patient age, disease type, prior leukemogenic therapy, and conditioning intensity. Therapy-related disease was not associated with increased mortality in this cohort, after taking cytogenetics into account. We propose that this SCT-specific cytogenetics grouping scheme be used for patients with MDS or AML arising from MDS who are considering or undergoing SCT.

Using CIBMTR data we compared the transplant outcomes of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who were non-smokers (NS) and past or current smokers (PCS). There were 2193 NS and 625 PCS who received matched sibling and unrelated donor allografts for CML in first chronic phase. We looked for dose effects and identified low and high dose smoking groups (≥10 pack years, >1 pack per day). Outcomes were adjusted for known prognostic variables including the EBMT risk score. In multivariate analyses of sibling allograft recipients, relapse risk was higher (RR 1.67, p=0.003) in smokers than NS but the dose effects were not consistent. High dose smokers experienced a 50% TRM vs. 28% in the NS group at 5 years on univariate analysis and the RR was 1.57 (p=0.005) on multivariate analysis. Overall survival at 5 years was 68% in NS vs. 62% in the low dose smoking group vs. 50% in the high dose smoking group (p<0.001). Smoking did not significantly affect outcomes in unrelated donor recipients but numbers were smaller. High dose smoking is associated with a reduction in overall survival in patients having sibling allografts for CML. A prospective study with detailed demographic, pulmonary function and quality of life data would improve our understanding of this issue.