Jing-Zhi Wang

Long-term follow-up of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation without in vitro T cell depletion for the treatment of leukemia: nine years of experience at a single center.

Many patients who require allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) lack a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐matched donor. Recently, a new strategy was developed for HLA‐mismatched/haploidentical transplantation from family donors without in vitro T cell depletion (TCD).

Who is the best donor for a related HLA haplotype-mismatched transplant?

The best donor for a related donor for a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotype-mismatched transplant for hematological neoplasms is controversial. We studied outcomes in 1210 consecutive transplant recipients treated on a uniform protocol. Younger donors and male donors were associated with less nonrelapse mortality (NRM; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01-0.39; P = .008 and HR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.49-0.85; P = .002) and better survival (HR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.54-0.97; P = .033 and HR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.59-0.91; P = .005). Father donors were associated with less NRM (HR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.45-0.95; P = .02), acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (HR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.55-0.86; P = .001), and better survival (HR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.50-0.87; P = .003) compared with mother donors. Children donors were associated with less acute GVHD than sibling donors (HR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.31-0.91; P = .01). Older sister donors were inferior to father donors with regard to NRM (HR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.10-3.20; P = .02) and survival (HR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.05-2.40; P = .03). Noninherited maternal antigen-mismatched sibling donors were associated with the lowest incidence of acute GVHD compared with parental donors and noninherited paternal antigen-mismatched sibling donors. Specific HLA disparities were not significantly correlated with transplant outcomes. Our data indicate which HLA haplotype-mismatched related donors are associated with the best transplant outcomes in persons with hematological neoplasms.

MRD-directed risk stratification treatment may improve outcomes of t(8;21) AML in the first complete remission: results from the AML05 multicenter trial

We aimed to improve the outcome of t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the first complete remission (CR1) by applying risk-directed therapy based on minimal residual disease (MRD) determined by RUNX1/RUNX1T1 transcript levels. Risk-directed therapy included recommending allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for high-risk patients and chemotherapy/autologous-HSCT (auto-HSCT) for low-risk patients. Among 116 eligible patients, MRD status after the second consolidation rather than induction or first consolidation could discriminate high-risk relapse patients (P = .001). Allo-HSCT could reduce relapse and improve survival compared with chemotherapy for high-risk patients (cumulative incidence of relapse [CIR]: 22.1% vs 78.9%, P < .0001; disease-free survival [DFS]: 61.7% vs 19.6%, P = .001), whereas chemotherapy/auto-HSCT achieved a low relapse rate (5.3%) and high DFS (94.7%) for low-risk patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that MRD status and treatment choice were independent prognostic factors for relapse, DFS, and OS. We concluded that MRD status after the second consolidation may be the best timing for treatment choice. MRD-directed risk stratification treatment may improve the outcome of t(8;21) AML in CR1. This trial was registered at http://www.chictr.org as #ChiCTR-OCH-12002406.

Coinfusion of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Facilitates Platelet Recovery Without Increasing Leukemia Recurrence in Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study

Previous studies have suggested that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) enhance the engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells and modulate the hosts immune response. However, there are no randomized studies to confirm these results. Moreover, there are some concerns about the risk of tumor recurrence because of the immunosuppressive property of MSCs. We conducted an open-label, randomized phase II clinical study to assess the outcome of MSC coinfusion (3-5 × 10(5) cells/kg) during haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. From June 2007 to June 2008, a total of 55 patients who were diagnosed with leukemia in complete remission entered the study (27 in the treatment group and 28 in the control group). No immediate or long-term toxic side effects related to MSC infusion were noted, and the median times of white blood cell and platelet engraftment were comparable between the 2 groups. However, within 100 days, the time to a platelet concentration of >50 × 10(9) cells/L was markedly faster in the treatment group compared with the control group (22 days vs. 28 days; P = 0.036). Stromal-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) reached a peak concentration more rapidly in the treatment group compared with the control group (8th vs. 16th day). The concentrations of SDF-1α, thrombopoietin (TPO), and interleukin-11 were also elevated in the MSC-treated group compared with the control group. The accumulative occurrence rate of acute graft-versus-host disease greater than grade 2 was 51.8% and 38.9% in the treatment and control groups (P = 0.422), respectively, whereas the occurrence rate of chronic graft-versus-host disease was 51.4% and 74.1% (P = 0.261), respectively. Through March 2010, which marked 2 years, the overall survival rate was 69.7% for the MSC-treated group and 64.3% for the control group (P = 0.737). Three patients in the treatment group and 2 patients in the control group experienced a hematological relapse and died of leukemia.

Platelet Engraftment in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies following Unmanipulated Haploidentical Blood and Marrow Transplantation: Effects of CD34+ Cell Dose and Disease Status

Unmanipulated haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation has been developed as an alternative transplantation strategy for patients without an HLA-matched related or unrelated donor. In this transplantation setting, factors associated with hematopoietic recovery have not been defined completely. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of donor and recipient characteristics on neutrophil and platelet engraftment after unmanipulated HSCT. The study group comprised 348 patients who underwent unmanipulated haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation to treat hematologic malignancy at a single institution between 2002 and 2007. Factors correlating with neutrophil and platelet engraftment posttransplantation were analyzed retrospectively. All patients achieved an absolute neutrophil count ANC of 500/microL in a median of 13 days (range, 9 to 49 days). Of the 348 patients, 331 (95.11%) achieved an untransfused platelet count of > 20,000/microL in a median of 16 days (range, 7 to 356 days). Multivariate analysis showed that the amount of CD34(+) cells infused (CD34(+) cells >or= 2.19 x 10(6)/kg recipient weight vs < 2.19 x10(6)/kg recipient weight; hazard ratio [HR] = 1.695; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.361 to 2.112; P < .0001), and disease stage (advanced vs early; HR = 0.724; 95% CI = 0.577 to 0.907; P = .005) were independently associated with increased risk of platelet engraftment. Our results suggest that low numbers of CD34(+) cells in allografts and advanced-stage disease may be critical factors associated with delayed platelet engraftment after unmanipulated haploidentical transplantation.

Chemotherapy followed by modified donor lymphocyte infusion as a treatment for relapsed acute leukemia after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation without in vitro T-cell depletion: superior outcomes compared with chemotherapy alone and an analysis of prognostic factors.

We retrospectively compared the antileukemic effects of chemotherapy alone and chemotherapy followed by modified donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) in 82 patients with relapsed acute leukemia after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) without in vitro T‐cell depletion. We also investigated prognostic factors in patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI. Thirty‐two patients received chemotherapy alone, and the remaining 50 patients received chemotherapy followed by modified DLI. In patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI, complete remission rate was significantly higher (64.0% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.000), the incidence of relapse was significantly lower (50.0% vs. 100.0%, P = 0.000), and disease‐free survival was significantly improved (36.0% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.000) compared with patients receiving chemotherapy alone. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) after intervention (P = 0.000) and patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI (P = 0.037) were associated with a lower relapse rate. Furthermore, in patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI, multivariate analysis demonstrated that chronic GVHD after modified DLI (P = 0.039) and duration of minimal residual disease (MRD) (−) ≥4 months after modified DLI (P = 0.001) were associated with a lower relapse rate. Our study is the first to suggest that chemotherapy followed by modified DLI is associated with stronger antileukemic effects and better survival in relapsed acute leukemia after haploidentical HSCT without in vitro T‐cell depletion. Furthermore, our study suggests that lack of chronic GVHD and duration of MRD (−) <4 months after modified DLI are associated with higher relapse rates in patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI.

The effect of HLA disparity on clinical outcome after HLA‐haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation

Huo M‐R, Xu L‐P, Li D, Liu D‐H, Liu K‐Y, Chen H, Han W, Chen Y‐H, Wang Y, Wang J‐Z, Zhang X‐H, Zhao X‐Y, Huang X‐J. The effect of HLA disparity on clinical outcome after HLA‐haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation. 
Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2011.01499.x. 
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The hematopoietic cell transplantation‐specific comorbidity index (HCT‐CI) is an outcome predictor for partially matched related donor transplantation

To validate the predictive ability of the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation‐Specific Comorbidity Index (HCT‐CI) on the outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients who received transplants from partially matched related donors (PMRD), a total of 526 patients who received PMRD HSCT between January 2006 and December 2009 at the Institute of Hematology, Peking University were enrolled. Patients were grouped according to their HCT‐CI score; 31.0%, 31.4%, and 37.6% of patients had HCT‐CI scores of 0, 1–2, and ≥3, respectively. Patients with HCT‐CI scores of ≥3 had a significantly poorer 2‐year overall survival (OS) than patients with HCT‐CI scores of 0–2 (54.55% vs. 78.05%, P < 0.001). In addition, patients with HCT‐CI scores of ≥3 had a significantly higher 2‐year cumulative incidence of relapse and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) than patients with scores of 0–2 (relapse: 23.23% vs. 11.59%, P < 0.001; NRM: 34.30% vs. 15.93%, P < 0.001). HCT‐CI scores of <3 were associated with better OS, less relapse, and lower NRM in multivariate analysis. Patients who had high comorbidity scores as well as high‐risk disease had the poorest outcomes. Therefore, we found that HCT‐CI is associated with the outcomes of PMRD HSCT and we should closely monitor patients with a high comorbidity burden. Am. J. Hematol. 88:497–502, 2013.

Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adults with Philadelphia‐negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia: No difference in the high‐ and low‐risk groups

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the most effective post‐consolidation therapy and curative option for adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome‐negative (Ph‐negative) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first complete remission (CR1). A human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐haploidentical related donor (haplo‐RD) is one of the most important alternative sources for those without HLA‐identical sibling donor (ISD). The present study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo‐HSCT) in adult Ph‐negative ALL CR1 patients (n = 183). We produced an unmanipulated haplo‐HSCT protocol including granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) for all donors, intensive immune suppression, anti‐thymocyte globulin, and combination of G‐CSF‐primed bone marrow harvest and G‐CSF‐mobilized peripheral blood stem cells harvest as the source of stem cell grafts. The median age for high‐risk versus low‐risk groups were 29 versus 23 years. Three‐year incidences of relapse mortality and nonrelapse mortality for high‐risk versus low‐risk groups were 7.1% versus 11.1% (p = 0.498) and 18.0% versus 16.2% (p = 0.717), respectively. Three‐year probabilities of disease‐free survival and overall survival for high‐risk versus low‐risk groups were 67.6% versus 68.2% (p = 0.896) and 74.9% versus 72.7% (p = 0.981), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that limited cGVHD and a lower pre‐HSCT comorbidity burden were associated with better outcomes. In summary, comparable outcomes were observed among high‐ and low‐risk Ph‐negative ALL CR1 patients after haplo‐HSCT. Haplo‐RD could be considered for adults with Ph‐negative ALL in CR1 as an important alternative source of donors in cases when no ISD is available.

The impact of CD34+ cell dose on platelet engraftment in pediatric patients following unmanipulated haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation.

Unmanipulated haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation has been developed as an alternative transplant strategy for pediatric patients with hematological diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of donor and recipient characteristics on hematopoietic recovery in pediatric patients following unmanipulated haploidentical transplantation.