Different transplantation strategies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adult patients:Preliminary observations / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

AIM:Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia characterized with high rate of relapse,especially in Ph+ patients.Presently,researchers focus on how to resolve relapse.Transplantation time,transplantation schedule and adoptive immunotherapy after transplantation are important.The study was performed to preliminarily observe treatment effectiveness after myeloablative stem cell transplantation,non-myeloablative transplantation after donor lymphocyte infusion and non-myeloablative transplantation followed by low-doses of Cyclosporin A.METHODS:Five patients were admitted at Department of Haematology of First People's Hospital between December 1998 and May 2007.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients were informed consent for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.The experiment was approved by hospital ethics committee.Among them,one patient was used the traditional preconditioning of busulfan and cyclophosphamide.Four cases were performed with non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,and one of them was treated with reduced intensity regimen based on anti-thymocyte globulin donor lymphocyte infusion after transplantation;Three cases with fludarabine-based non-myeloablative transplantation were used low-dose Cyclosporin A after engraftment.Graft-versus-host disease prevention regimen was consisted of short-range methotrexate combined with Cyclosporin A.Haematopoiesis,chimerism,graft-versus-host disease and infection were observed after transplantation.RESULTS:All patients achieved successful engraftment.①One patient with mixed chimerism received eight donor lymphocyte infusion based on anti-thymocyte globulin-non-myeloablative transplantation and gradually converted into full donor chimerism with disease-free survival,and complicated acute graft-versus-host disease of skin and liver.②Three patients achieved full donor chimerism based on fuladarabine-non-myeloablative transplantation,one patient relapsed without graft-versus-host disease,and other two cases eliminated BCR/ABL fusion gene-positive cells with acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease.③One case after myeloablative transplantation relapsed and complicated with acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease.CONCLUSION:①The traditional,anti-thymocyte globulin or fludarabine-based non-myeloablative conditioning for transplantation in the treatment of adults with acute leukemia will be eligible for the successful implantation,and adoptive immunotherapy have graft-versus-leukemia effect.②The efficacy and complications of three transplantation strategies should be further studied.