The effect of high-dose cytarabine followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on the outcome of patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of high-dose cytosine arabinoside (HDAC)-containing treatments followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on the survival of patients with mantle cell lymphoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data of 27 MCL patients who were followed-up between January 2009 and December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 63 (range, 45-82) with 22 (81.4%) males and 5 (18.6%) females. Eight of 27 patients were treated with HDAC-containing regimens either as induction or salvage chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). The patients who received HDAC-containing regimen followed by AHSCT were found to have better one-year survival compared to others (p = 0.03). Median follow-up of patient cohort was 27.6 months and median overall survival (OS) was not reached. The probability of one-year OS for all patients was 76.8%. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that HDAC treatment followed by AHSCT seems to provide the best outcome for young-fit patients presenting with mantle cell lymphoma.

Efficacy of CLARA in recurrent/refractory acute myeloid leukaemia patients unresponsive to FLAG chemotherapy.

We hereby report our multicentre, retrospective experience with CLARA in patients with fludarabine/cytarabine/G-CSF (FLAG) refractory AML. The study included all consecutive R/R AML patients, who received CLARA salvage during October 2010-October 2015 period. All patients were unresponsive to FLAG salvage chemotherapy regimen and did not undergo previous allo-HCT. A total of 40 patients were included. Following CLARA 5 (12.5%) patients experienced induction mortality and 10 (25%) patients achieved CR. 25 (62.5%) patients were unresponsive to CLARA. 7 (17.5%) out of 10 patients in CR received allo-HCT. Median overall survival of patients who achieved CR after CLARA was 24.5 months (8.5-54.5) and 3 months (2.5-5), in patients who underwent and didn't allo-HCT, respectively. Our results indicate that CLARA may be good alternative even in FLAG refractory AML patients and can be used as a bridge to allo-HCT, who have a suitable donor and able to tolerate the procedure.

Risk Adapted Management of Febrile Neutrepenia and Early Cessation of Empirical Antibiotherapy in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Setting.

BACKGROUND: Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative treatment option for many haematological disorders. Infection following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is one of the major causes of mortality. AIMS: To investigate the outcomes of early cessation of empirical antibiotic treatment per protocol in febrile neutropenia patients who have undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our clinic. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. METHODS: The present study retrospectively evaluated febrile neutropenia attacks in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients during the period June 2014 - January 2015 at our haematopoietic stem cell transplantation clinic. RESULTS: A total of 72 febrile neutropenia attacks were evaluated in 53 patients. In 46 febrile neutropenia attacks, microbiologic cultures revealed positive results. In culture-positive febrile neutropenia episodes a single bacterium was isolated in 32 cases and multiple strains were isolated in 14. In 15 patients, empirical antibiotic therapy was discontinued after 72 hours. These patients were clinically stable, without evident focus of infection and had negative culture results. Only 4 recurrent episodes were observed (27%) after cessation of antibiotherapy. No patient died as a result of recurrent infection. The 30-day and 100-day post-transplantation mortality rates of patients with febrile neutropenia episodes were 11.3% (6/53) and 3.8% (2/53), respectively. Infection-related 30-day and 100-day mortality rates were 7.5% (4/53) and 0% (0/53), respectively. CONCLUSION: The main message of our study is that early cessation of empirical antibiotherapy seems to be feasible in eligible patients without increasing febrile neutropenia mortality rates.

Does microbial contamination influence the success of the hematopoietic cell transplantation outcomes?

INTRODUCTION: Microbial contamination can be a marker for faulty process and is assumed to play an important role in the collection of hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) and infusion procedure. We aimed to determine the microbial contamination rates and evaluate the success of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in patients who received contaminated products. PATIENTS-METHODS: We analyzed microbial contamination records of HPC grafts between 2012 and 2015, retrospectively. Contamination rates of autologous donors were evaluated for at three steps: at the end of mobilization, following processing with dimethyl sulfoxide, and just before stem cell infusion. Grafts of allogeneic donors were assessed only before HCT. RESULT: A total of 445 mobilization procedures were carried out on 333 (167 autologous and 166 allogeneic) donors. The microbiological contamination of peripheral blood (323/333 donations) and bone marrow (10/333 donations) products were analyzed. Bacterial contamination was detected in 18 of 1552 (1.15 %) culture bottles of 333 donors. During the study period 248 patients underwent HCT and among these patients microbial contamination rate on sample basis was 1.3 % (16/1212). Microbial contamination detected in nine patients (7 autologous; 2 allogeneic). In 8 of 9 patients, a febrile neutropenic attack was observed. The median day for the neutropenic fever was 4 days (0-9). None of the patients died within the post-transplant 30 days who received contaminated products. CONCLUSION: The use of contaminated products with antibiotic prophylaxis may be safe in terms of the first day of fever, duration of fever, neutrophil, platelet engraftment and duration of hospitalization.

Does defibrotide prophylaxis decrease the risk of acute graft versus host disease following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation?

There is some preliminary evidence, that veno-occlusive disease prophylaxis with defibrotide (DF) may also have a role in decreasing risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) by preventing tissue damage. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of DF prophylaxis on the development of aGvHD at D+180. One hundred ninety-five consecutive adult patients receiving allogeneic HCT were retrospectively evaluated in 3 groups: no DF, DF/post-HCT (DF D+1 to D+14) and DF/pre-HCT (DF for 14 days concurrently with conditioning). The total (p: 0.057) and grades III/IV (p: 0.051) aGvHD rates at D+180 were 46.5%, 40%, 25.5% and 15.5%, 11.2%, 0% in patients on no DF, DF/post-HCT and DF/pre-HCT. DF may have a role in decreasing incidence and severity of aGvHD, especially if used concurrently with conditioning regimen.