Relapse after non-T-cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia: early transplantation, use of an unrelated donor, and chronic graft-versus- host disease are protective

We analyzed the incidence of posttransplant chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) relapse in 283 consecutive related-donor (n = 177) and unrelated-donor (n = 106) allogeneic transplant recipients. Twenty-two of 165 related-donor recipients with stable or advanced disease at the time of transplant had hematologic relapse of CML following transplant (5-year Kaplan-Meier estimate of relapse, 20%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11 to 30%). One of 12 patients transplanted in second stable phase following blast crisis also relapsed. Fifteen related-donor transplant recipients relapsed within 5 years of transplant; however, seven relapsed between 5 and 9 years after transplant. Factors independently associated with an increased risk of posttransplant relapse for related-donor recipients included prolonged interval between diagnosis and transplant (relative risk, [RR], 3.81; P = .009) and bone marrow basophilia (RR, 5.62; P = .01). Related-donor recipients with posttransplant chronic graft-versus-host disease (CGVHD) had a decreased risk of relapse (RR, 0.24; P = .005). Only two of 106 unrelated-donor transplant recipients relapsed following transplant (5-year Kaplan-Meier estimate of relapse, 3%; 95% CI, 0% to 7%). When both related- and unrelated-donor recipients were considered, the use of an unrelated donor was independently associated with a decreased risk of relapse (RR, 0.24; P = .07). Twelve of 16 relapsing patients who received further therapy (nine of 13 who underwent second transplant and three of three who received donor leukocyte infusions) remain alive. This analysis shows that relapse, sometimes occurring long after transplant, is an important adverse outcome in allogeneic transplantation for CML. Early transplant, posttransplant CGVHD, and use of an unrelated donor are associated with a reduced incidence of relapse, perhaps due to allogeneic disparities enhancing the graft- versus-leukemia effect.     

Porphyria cutanea tarda after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia

A case of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) occurring after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is reported. A 43-year-old male with chronic myelogenous leukemia received an human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical allogeneic transplantation with T-cell depleted marrow. Because of graft rejection, a second transplant was performed 4 months later. A grade II acute graft- vs.-host disease and a cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection were subsequently observed. Two years after the second transplant, cutaneous symptoms of PCT with typical biochemical abnormalities developed. Liver biopsy revealed signs of hepatitis with iron overload. CMV was isolated from liver tissue. The possible roles of underlying disease, BMT, and CMV liver disease are discussed in view of the recently reported cases of PCT in patients with AIDS or hematological disorders.     

Transient nephrotic syndrome after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia

A 42-year-old man with chronic myelogenous leukemia underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from an unrelated donor in January 1998. About 100 days later, he developed skin eruption and a diagnosis of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) was made by skin biopsy. The eruption improved with steroid therapy, and the dose of steroid was gradually tapered. On day 151, the patient developed nephrotic syndrome with proteinuria up to 20 g/day. A renal biopsy carried out on day 160 showed minimal change in the glomeruli. The proteinuria disappeared 19 days after the onset of nephrotic syndrome without any additional therapy, and no recurrence was observed upon re-tapering of the steroid. In this case, cGVHD might have been related to development of the nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome after allo-HSCT is a rare complication, and only ten cases have been reported. The histological findings were mainly membranous nephropathy, and immunosuppressive therapy was effective. As seen in this case, transient nephrotic syndrome with cGVHD may occur after allo-HSCT, and care is necessary to ensure that treatment of cGVHD is sufficient.     

Cytogenetic conversion following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia

We performed a pilot study to test the effectiveness of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Five patients in the advanced stages of chronic myelogenous leukemia (four in blast crisis, one in accelerated phase) with abnormal chromosomes underwent matched-sibling allogeneic bone marrow transplantation after preparation with busulfan, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and fractionated total body irradiation. Engraftment and conversion to normal chromosome patterns after transplantation occurred in all five patients. None of the patients reverted to an abnormal chromosome pattern of demonstrated clinical or hematologic evidence of recurrent disease during the course of this study; however, longest survival from transplant was 248 days. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation can eradicate the abnormal clone even in far advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia and can provide normal hematopoiesis. We suggest that clinical complications of chemotherapeutic toxicity and infection were responsible for the short survival in this group of patients, and that these complications could be decreased by performing transplantation in the chronic phase or early accelerated phase of the disease.     

The reversal of myelofibrosis associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

A 20-year-old male with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and severe bone marrow fibrosis underwent splenectomy, then ablative chemotherapy, followed by bone marrow transplantation from a histocompatible sister. The myelofibrosis completely resolved. Prompt marrow engraftment and disappearance of Philadelphia chromosome positive cells were documented. Therefore, the presence of marrow fibrosis which frequently accompanies CML is rapidly reversible following high dose chemotherapy and is not indicative of a hostile microenvironment which could preclude marrow transplantation for patients with CML and myelofibrosis.     

Use of alpha interferon for the treatment of relapse of chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Eighteen patients with relapse of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) were treated with recombinant human alpha 2a interferon (IFN). Relapse was defined as greater than 90% metaphases containing the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) and hematologic abnormalities consistent with chronic-phase (CP) CML. There were 11 males and seven females, with a median age of 38 years (range, 3 to 55). Three patients relapsed after second BMT. Only one patient had received T-cell-depleted marrow initially. The initial IFN dose of 3 x 10(6) U/m2/d was escalated to the maximum tolerated dose or to a maximum of 6 x 10(6) U/m2/d. IFN controlled the white blood cell (WBC) counts in 14 of 16 patients who had abnormal counts, and in all six patients with an elevated platelet count. Six patients (33%) have had a complete disappearance of the Ph and two have had a partial response (less than 35% Ph+ metaphases). One patient has a decrease in Ph+ metaphases after 9 months of IFN. Five patients had no significant cytogenetic response after 9 to 12 months, and four developed clinical accelerated phase or blast crisis after 3 to 6 months on therapy. Of four patients with a sex marker, the Ph- population was of donor origin in three and of host origin in one. Clonal cytogenetic abnormalities other than Ph were present in 13 patients and did not predict for lack of response to IFN. IFN is effective in suppressing the Ph clone in some patients who relapse with CML after allogeneic BMT and controls the blood counts in the majority.     

Resolution of psoriasis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia: late complications of therapy

Treatment of autoimmune disease with bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is under investigation. A few reports of patients undergoing allogeneic BMT for malignant conditions observed the resolution of psoriasis after BMT, with minimal late morbidity. We describe a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) whose psoriasis resolved completely after allogeneic BMT. However, the patient's course was complicated by extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), recurrent serious infections, poor performance status and quality of life, and severe disability. The patient died 887 days post transplant due to infectious complications. The potential benefits and risks of treatment of autoimmune diseases with allogeneic BMT are discussed.     

Persistence of myeloid progenitor cells expressing BCR-ABL mRNA after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia

Previous studies have shown that tumor-specific bcr-abl mRNA can often be detected by polymerase chain reaction. (PCR) for months to years after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). Nevertheless, the presence of bcr-abl mRNA by itself does not invariably predict for clinical relapse post-BMT. This has led to the hypothesis that bcr-abl mRNA might be expressed in cells that have lost either proliferative or myeloid differentiation potential. To directly characterize the cells detected by PCR in patients with CML after allogeneic BMT, we first identified five individuals in whom PCR-positive cells could be detected at multiple times post-BMT. Bone marrow samples from these individuals were cultured in vitro and single erythroid, granulocytic, and macrophage colonies, each containing 50 to 100 cells, were examined for the presence of bcr-abl mRNA by PCR. PCR-positive myeloid colonies could be detected in four of five individuals in marrow samples obtained 5 to 56 months post-BMT. Overall, 7 of 135 progenitor cell colonies (5.2%) were found to be PCR-positive. The expression of bcr-abl mRNA appeared to be equally distributed among committed erythroid, macrophage, and granulocyte progenitors. These patients have now been followed-up for an additional 20 to 33 months from the time of progenitor cell PCR analysis but only one of these individuals has been found to have cytogenetic evidence of recurrent Ph+ cells. These results show that long-term persistence of PCR-detectable bcr-abl mRNA after allogeneic BMT can be caused by the persistence of CML-derived clonogenic myeloid precursors that have survived the BMT preparative regimen. These cells continue to have both proliferative and myeloid differentiation capacity in vitro. Nevertheless, these PCR-positive cells do not appear to either expand or differentiate in vivo for prolonged periods, suggesting the presence of mechanisms for suppression of residual clonogenic leukemia cells in vivo.     

Acute myelogenous leukemia with mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema following chronic GVHD after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

A 38-year-old man was diagnosed as having acute myelogenous leukemia in December 2001. He achieved a complete remission after undergoing three courses of induction chemotherapy. As the patient's prognosis was considered to be poor, he was then treated with a bone marrow transplant from his HLA 1 antigen mismatched sister in May 2002. Grade 2 skin graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) developed on day 14 but reduced with methylprednisolone (mPSL). Prednisolone (PSL) was discontinued on day 104, and the patient was discharged on day 112. There was no evidence of clinical chronic GVHD, the serum creatinine level remained high, and cyclosporine (CsA) was gradually tapered off and discontinued on day 165. However chronic GVHD of the skin appeared on day 179, and CsA (100 mg/day) was restarted. On day 186 he was admitted to our hospital complaining of fever. A CT scan of the chest demonstrated bilateral interstitial infiltrates, which were considered as lung GVHD lesions and PSL was started, following which chronic GVHD of the skin and liver improved. The lung GVHD worsened, however, subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema developed and the patient died on day 206. Interstitial pneumonia had progressively worsened as the manifestation of the chronic lung GVHD. We concluded that this clinical course was rare.     

Improved survival of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

A total of 28 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP) received bone marrow allografts from HLA-matched siblings at the University of Florida between August 1984-July 1992. The present study compares the disease-free survival (DFS) for those patients who were transplanted before or after August 1988 using the same conditioning regimen. The analysis shows significant difference in 3-year DFS for those patients transplanted post- vs. pre-August 1988 (69.6% vs. 20%, respectively; P = 0.006). A decrease in pneumonitis due to different etiologies from pre-August 1988 (6/13, 46%) to post-August 1988 (1/15, 7%) was statistically significant (P = 0.029). A decrease, although statistically insignificant, in the overall incidence and severity of acute and chronic graft vs. host disease (GVHD) after August 1988 was also noticed. This study indicates significantly improved outcome for patients with CML in CP who have been treated in the University of Florida after August 1988. Better supportive care and prophylaxis for GVHD most likely contributed to such improvement.     

Donor T-lymphocyte infusion for unrelated allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with CD3+ T-cell-depleted graft

In T-cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (TCD-BMT) using unrelated donors, the role of donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) for survival and disease control has not been defined. In a study of 116 patients (92 matched, 24 mismatched) who received CD3+ T-cell-depleted marrow graft, sequential infusions of escalated doses of donor T lymphocytes up to 1 x 10(6) CD3+ cells/kg were prospectively investigated. T cells were administered while patients were on cyclosporine, provided >or=grade II acute graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) had not occurred. Acute GVHD of >or=grade II occurred in 27 of 110 (25%) patients before DLI and in 39 of 79 (49%) patients after DLI. In total, 12 of 27 (44%) patients without DLI and 44 of 72 (61%) patients who received DLI developed chronic GVHD. A total of 19 patients died of GVHD, with 17 of acute and two of chronic GVHD. Overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) at 5 years were 27 and 21%, respectively. The 2-year incidence of relapse was 14%. In multivariate analysis, only chronic GVHD was a good prognostic factor for both OS: hazard ratio (HR) 1.4, P=0.04, and EFS: HR 1.6, P=0.01. Both acute and chronic GVHD were favorable prognostic factors for relapse probability: HR 1.9 for both, P=0.02, 0.01, respectively. The 1-year cumulative incidence of transplant-related mortality (TRM), excluding cases of GVHD, was 42%. The two most common causes of 1-year non-GVHD death were viral infection (9%) and idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (12%). Although the incidence of relapse was low, the study suggests that the current scheme of DLI in unrelated TCD-BMT would not improve survival unless TRM decreases significantly.     

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia: comparative analysis of unrelated versus matched sibling donor transplantation

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) offers the only curative therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia. We compared prospectively collected results of 2464 unrelated donor (URD) transplantations with 450 HLA-identical, matched sibling donor (MSD) transplantations performed at collaborating National Marrow Donor Program institutions. A total of 63% of URDs were matched at HLA-A, -B, and at -DRB1 alleles; all MSDs were genotypically identical at major histocompatibility loci. URD recipients were younger (median 36 vs 39, P =.001) than MSDs and underwent BMT later after diagnosis (median 17 [0-325 months] vs 7 [1-118 months], P =.001) and less often in chronic phase (CP) (67% vs 82%, P =.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a significantly increased risk of graft failure and acute graft versus host disease after URD BMT. The risk of hematologic relapse was low after either matched URD or MSD transplantations. We observed significantly though modestly poorer survival and disease-free survival (DFS) after URD transplantations. However, for those undergoing transplantation during CP within 1 year from diagnosis, 5-year DFS was similar or only slightly inferior after matched URD versus MSD transplantation (age < 30: URD 61% +/- 8% vs MSD 68% +/- 15%, P =.18; 30-40: URD 57% +/- 9% vs MSD 67% +/- 10%, P =.05; > 40: URD 46% +/- 9% vs MSD 57% +/- 9%, P =.02). Delay from diagnosis to BMT in CP patients led to substantially poorer 5-year DFS after matched URD than MSD BMT (CP 1-2 years: URD 39% +/- 6% vs MSD 63% +/- 12%; beyond 2 years: URD 33% +/- 7% vs MSD 50% +/- 20%). Outcome of matched URD BMT for early CP chronic myelogenous leukemia yields survival and DFS approaching that of MSD transplantation. However, delay may compromise URD outcomes to a greater extent. Improvements in URD and MSD transplantation are still needed, and results of newer, nontransplantation therapies should be evaluated against the established curative potential of URD and MSD marrow transplantation.