Editor’s Note: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a crucial therapeutic option for a variety of benign and malignant hematological diseases. In recent years, the proportion of haploidentical transplants has been increasing due to advancements in the technology. From April 14 to 17, 2024, the 50th European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Annual Meeting was held in Glasgow, UK. The conference focused on the latest developments in stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy, pushing forward better clinical prognoses for hematologic patients. At this EBMT Annual Meeting, Professor Huang He’s team from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine was selected for one invited report, five oral presentations, and fifteen posters. “Oncology Outlook – Hematology News” invited Dr. Yishan Ye from The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine to share insights and progress from his oral presentation on the study comparing haploidentical allo-HSCT with related/unrelated matched transplants, which potentially shows better prognostic outcomes.
Dr. Yishan Ye delivered an impressive presentation at the EBMT meeting. His study, titled “Comparison of Haploidentical, Sibling Matched, and Unrelated Matched Allo-HSCT in Core Binding Factor (CBF) Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Patients in Second Complete Remission (CR2): From the EBMT Global Committee and Acute Leukemia Working Group,” is a collaboration between the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and EBMT. The study analyzed 865 patients who underwent allogeneic transplants from 2010 to 2022 across 227 global centers in the EBMT database, comparing the effectiveness of transplants from haploidentical donors (HAPLO), matched sibling donors (MSD), or matched unrelated donors (MUD). There were 329 AML patients in the MSD group, 374 in the MUD group, and 162 in the HAPLO transplant group.
Univariate analysis indicated that the HAPLO group was associated with a lower 2-year cumulative relapse incidence (RI) and a higher 2-year non-relapse mortality (NRM). The incidence of Grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) within 180 days was also higher in the HAPLO group compared to the MSD or MUD groups. There were no significant differences observed in 2-year leukemia-free survival (LFS), overall survival (OS), and GVHD-free/relapse-free survival (GRFS) among the three groups. Additionally, patients with inv(16) CBF-AML had a lower RI compared to those with t(8;21), and were associated with better OS, LFS, and GRFS.
Multivariate analysis showed no significant differences in NRM among the HAPLO, MSD, and MUD groups. Compared to MSD and MUD, HAPLO was associated with a lower RI, with no significant differences in LFS, OS, and GRFS among the groups. Compared to inv(16) CBF-AML, t(8;21) CBF-AML was associated with a higher RI and NRM, resulting in poorer LFS, OS, and GRFS. The study found that patients undergoing haploidentical allo-HSCT had a lower relapse rate, although the higher non-relapse mortality rate led to no significant differences among the groups. Dr. Ye stated, “With continuous advances in transplant complication management and technology, haploidentical allo-HSCT could become the optimal donor choice for high-risk AML patients. We will continue to investigate based on this study to refine the selection of hematopoietic stem cell transplant donors more precisely, benefiting more patients.”
Dr. Yishan Ye delivered an impressive presentation at the EBMT conference.
Expert Introduction
Yishan Ye
Distinguished Associate Research Fellow and Master’s Program Supervisor at Zhejiang University, Research Coordinator at the EBMT China Office, Secretary of the Hematology Immunology Committee of the Zhejiang Society of Immunology, Young Committee Member of the Zhejiang Medical Association’s Hematology Branch, Ph.D. Supervisor at Sorbonne University, mentored by Mohamad Mohty. Dr. Ye has published over 10 SCI papers as first author/corresponding author and participated in over 30 publications; he is a special reviewer for journals like Bone Marrow Transplantation. He has led a National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth Fund project, participated/co-participated in nine national-level projects, delivered three oral presentations at the American Society
of Hematology (ASH) meetings, and multiple at EBMT meetings. Dr. Ye has received the Best Oral Abstract Award at EBMT 2023, 2024, and an Abstract Achievement Award at ASH.
