BackgroundThe role of reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem transplantation (RICalloSCT) in the management of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma remains controversial. Design and MethodsTo further define its role we have conducted a retrospective analysis of 285 patients with HL who underwent a RICalloSCT in order to identify prognostic factors that predict outcome. Eighty percent of patients had undergone a prior autologous stem cell transplantation and 25% had refractory disease at transplant. ResultsNon-relapse mortality was associated with chemorefractory disease, poor performance status, age >45 and transplantation before 2002. For patients with no risk factors the 3-year non-relapse mortality rate was 12.5% compared to 46.2% for patients with 2 or more risk factors. The use of an unrelated donor had no adverse effect on the non-relapse mortality. Acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) grades II-IV developed in 30% and chronic GVHD in 42%. The development of cGVHD was associated with a lower relapse rate. The disease progression rate at one and five years was 41% and 58.7% respectively and was associated with chemorefractory disease and extent of prior therapy. Donor lymphocyte infusions were administered to 64 patients for active disease of whom 32% showed a clinical response. Eight out of 18 patients receiving donor lymphocyte infusions alone had clinical responses. Progression-free and overall survival were both associated with performance status and disease status at transplant. Patients with neither risk factor had a 3-year PFS and overall survival of 42% and 56% respectively compared to 8% and 25% for patients with one or more risk factors. Relapse within six months of a prior autologous transplant was associated with a higher relapse rate and a lower progression-free. ConclusionsThis analysis identifies important clinical parameters that may be useful in predicting the outcome of RICaIICalloSCT in Hodgkin's lymphoma.Key words: Hodgkin's lymphoma, allogeneic transplantation, prognosis.Citation: Robinson SP, Sureda A, Canals C, Russell N, Caballero D, Bacigalupo A, Iriondo A, Cook G, Pettitt A, Socie G, Bonifazi F, Bosi A, Michallet M, Liakopoulou E, Maertens J, Passweg J, Clarke F, Martino R, and

BackgroundReduced intensity conditioning regimens permit the delivery of a potentially curative graft-versus-leukemia effect in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Although T-cell depletion is increasingly used to reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease its impact on the graft-versusleukemia effect and long-term outcome post-transplant is unknown. Design and MethodsWe have characterized pre-and post-transplant factors determining overall survival in 168 patients with acute myeloid leukemia transplanted using an alemtuzumab based reduced intensity conditioning regimen with a median duration of follow-up of 37 months. ResultsThe 3-year overall survival for patients transplanted in CR1 or CR2/CR3 was 50% (95% CI, 38% to 62%) and 44% (95% CI, 31% to 56%), respectively compared to 15% (95% CI, 2% to 36%) for patients with relapsed/refractory disease. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that both survival and disease relapse were influenced by status at transplant (P=0.008) and presentation cytogenetics (P=0.01). Increased exposure to cyclosporine A (CsA) in the first 21 days post-transplant was associated with an increased relapse risk (P<0.0001) and decreased overall survival (P<0.0001). ConclusionsDisease stage, presentation karyotype and post-transplant CsA exposure are important predictors of outcome in patients undergoing a T-cell depleted reduced intensity conditioning allograft for acute myeloid leukemia. These data confirm the presence of a potent graft-versusleukemia effect after a T-cell depleted reduced intensity conditioning allograft in acute myeloid leukemia and identify CsA exposure as a manipulable determinant of outcome in this setting.Key words: reduced intensity conditioning, graft-versus-leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia. leukemia. Haematologica 2010;95:989-995. doi:10.3324/haematol.2009 This is an open-access paper. Citation: Craddock C, Nagra S, Peniket A, Brookes C, Buckley L, Nikolousis E, Duncan N, Tauro S, Yin J, Liakopoulou E, Kottaridis P, Snowden J, Milligan D, Cook G, Tholouli E, Littlewood T, Peggs K, Vyas P, Clark F, Cook M, MacKinnon S, and Russell N. Factors predicting long-term survival after T-cell depleted reduced intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid Factors predicting long-term survival after T-cell depleted reduced intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia

Autologous stem cell transplant as primary (first ASCT) therapy in multiple myeloma (MM) is standard practice. The role of a second ASCT as management of relapsed disease remains uncertain. We conducted a retrospective case-matched control analysis on patients (n = 106) who underwent a second ASCT compared with conventional chemotherapy (CCT) as for relapsed MM. The median age was 53 years (range: 26-75) and median follow-up 48 months (range: 8, 136). The cumulative incidence of 1 and 5 years nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3%-13%) and 12% (95% CI 7%-19%), with a second ASCT inducing a greater partial remission (PR) rate of 63%. The 4-year overall survival (OS) rate was 33% (95% CI 24%-45%). Factors associated with improved OS and progression-free survival (PFS) included younger age (<55 years), β(2)MG <2.5 mg/L at diagnosis, a remission duration of >9 months from first ASCT, and a greater PR in response to their first ASCT. In a matched-cohort analysis with patients receiving conventional chemotherapy (CCT), the same factors were associated with improved OS, with the exception of a longer remission duration (>18 months) from first ASCT. Second ASCT in relapsed MM is associated with superior OS and PFS compared with CCT, offering a potential consolidative option for selected patients.

A complete list of the members of the VOSIFI Study Group is provided in the Appendix. BackgroundRecurrence of prior invasive fungal infection (relapse rate of 30-50%) limits the success of stem cell transplantation. Secondary prophylaxis could reduce disease burden and improve survival. Design and MethodsA prospective, open-label, multicenter trial was conducted evaluating voriconazole (4 mg/kg/12 h intravenously or 200 mg/12 h orally) as secondary antifungal prophylaxis in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients with previous proven or probable invasive fungal infection. Voriconazole was started 48 h or more after completion of conditioning chemotherapy and was planned to be continued for 100-150 days. Patients were followed for 12 months. The primary end-point of the study was the incidence of proven or probable invasive fungal infection. ResultsForty-five patients were enrolled, 41 of whom had acute leukemia. Previous invasive fungal infections were proven or probable aspergillosis (n=31), proven candidiasis (n=5) and other proven or probable infections (n=6); prior infection could not be confirmed in three patients. The median duration of voriconazole prophylaxis was 94 days. Eleven patients (24%) died within 12 months of transplantation, but only one due to systemic fungal disease. Three invasive fungal infections occurred post-transplant: two relapses (one candidemia and one fatal scedosporiosis) and one new zygomycosis in a patient with previous aspergillosis. The 1-year cumulative incidence of invasive fungal disease was 6.7±3.6%. Two patients were withdrawn from the study due to treatment-related adverse events (i.e. liver toxicity). ConclusionsVoriconazole appears to be safe and effective for secondary prophylaxis of systemic fungal infection after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The observed incidence of 6.7% (with one attributable death) is considerably lower than the relapse rate reported in historical controls, thus suggesting that voriconazole is a promising prophylactic agent in this population. (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00143312). © F e r r a t a S t o r t i F o u n d a t i o n