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Feasibility of salvage cord blood transplantation using a fludarabine, melphalan, and low-dose anti-thymocyte globulin conditioning regimen

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Abstract

Primary graft failure (PGF) is a lethal complication that occurs early after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). Cord blood transplantation (CBT) is a potential re-transplantation option. Total body irradiation (TBI) is often incorporated into the pre-salvage CBT conditioning regimen following PGF; however, patients experiencing PGF are not always amenable to TBI, and non-TBI regimens for salvage CBT should be established. Here, we report five patients with hematologic malignancies who received salvage CBT for PGF following a non-TBI regimen using fludarabine (Flu), melphalan (Mel), and low-dose anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). The median intervals between the failed allo-SCT and salvage CBT, as well as between the diagnosis of PGF and salvage CBT, were 37 days and 8 days, respectively. The median neutrophil recovery period was 21 days (range 18–21 days). Four of five patients achieved neutrophil engraftment following salvage CBT; all four exhibited sustained engraftment with complete donor chimerism. Three of the five patients were alive after a median follow-up time of 907 days (range 315–909 days) post-salvage CBT; two patients died of causes unrelated to recurrence. These data suggest that CBT following the non-TBI regimen described here is feasible in patients with PGF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leukemia Research Center, Saiseikai Maebashi Hospital, Kamishinden-machi, 564-1, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-0821, Japan

    Takumi Hoshino, Satoru Takada, Nahoko Hatsumi & Toru Sakura

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  1. Takumi Hoshino
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  2. Satoru Takada
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  3. Nahoko Hatsumi
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Correspondence to Takumi Hoshino.

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Hoshino, T., Takada, S., Hatsumi, N. et al. Feasibility of salvage cord blood transplantation using a fludarabine, melphalan, and low-dose anti-thymocyte globulin conditioning regimen. Int J Hematol 109, 463–469 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-019-02610-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-019-02610-4

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