Objective:To explore the safety and efficacy of TBF conditioning regimen of thiotepa, fludarabine and busulfan in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) for recipients with hematological malignancies unsuitable for BUCY conditioning regimen (busulfan, cyclophosphamide & mBUCY).Method:A retrospective analysis was conducted for 20 recipients with malignant hematologic diseases receiving TBF conditioning regimen before haplo-HSCT at Soochow Hopes Hematologic Hospital from January 2020 to December 2023. The regimen-related toxicity of TBF was assessed by the Bearman scoring criteria. For comparing the safety and efficacy of TBF conditioning regimen with mBUCY regimen, propensity score matching was performed in a ratio of 1: 2 with disease type, patient age and gender as matching factors.Result:Mild oral mucositis and gastrointestinal reaction were major side-effects without severe cardiac events. Median time to neutrophil and platelet engraftments in TBF group was 11 and 18 days with comparable engraftment in mBUCY group. TBF regimen had a significantly lower incidence of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) than mBUCY at Day 100 (5% vs 35%, P=0.01). No significant inter-group difference existed in overall survival (68% vs 62%, P=0.98) while 1-year incidence of graft-versus-host disease-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) improved (63% vs 37%, P=0.06) in TBF group. Conclusion:TBF is a promising conditioning regimen with low toxicity and decent safety for haplo-HSCT. TBF patients tend to have a lower incidence of grade Ⅱ-ⅣaGVHD and better GRFS than mBUCY.

To explore the efficacy and safety of immunoadsorption (IA) in removing de novo donor specific antibody (DSA) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the relevant clinical data were retrospectively reviewed for one female patient of severe aplastic anemia (SAA). Desensitization treatment with IA after HSCT was offered for removing de novo DSA and ultimately promoting platelet engraftment at First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in March 2021.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of protein A immunoadsorption (PAIA) combined with rituximab (RTX) in highly sensitized patients who underwent haplo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) .Methods:The clinical data of 56 highly sensitized patients treated with PAIA and RTX before haplo-HSCT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and Soochow Hopes Hematonosis Hospital between March 2021 and June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The number of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody types and the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), humoral immunity, adverse reactions during adsorption, and survival within 100 days before and after adsorption were measured.Results:After receiving the PAIA treatment, the median MFI of patients containing only HLA Ⅰ antibodies decreased from 7 859 (3 209-12 444) to 3 719 (0-8 275) ( P<0.001), and the median MFI of HLA Ⅰ+Ⅱ antibodies decreased from 5 476 (1 977-12 382) to 3 714 (0-11 074) ( P=0.035). The median MFI of patients with positive anti-donor-specific antibodies decreased from 8 779 (2 697-18 659) to 4 524 (0–15 989) ( P<0.001). The number of HLA-A, B, C, DR, and DQ antibodies in all patients decreased after the PAIA treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (A, B, C, DR: P<0.001, DQ: P<0.01). The humoral immune monitoring before and after the PAIA treatment showed a significant decrease in the number of IgG and complement C3 ( P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). Forty-four patients underwent HLA antibody monitoring after transplantation, and the overall MFI and number of antibody types decreased. However, five patients developed new antibodies with low MFI, and nine patients continued to have high MFI. The overall survival, disease-free survival, non-recurrent mortality, and cumulative recurrence rates at 100 days post-transplantation were 83.8%, 80.2%, 16.1%, and 4.5%, respectively. Conclusions:The combination of PAIA and RTX has a certain therapeutic effect and good safety in the desensitization treatment of highly sensitive patients before haplo-HSCT.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of tislelizumab combined with umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) patients.Methods:The diagnosis and treatment of 1 patient with R/R AML who received tislelizumab bridging to UCBT after the failure of re-induction treatment in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in November 2021 was retrospectively analyzed.Results:The 59-year-old male patient with R/R AML achieved a complete remission after initial induction chemotherapy regimen of decitabine and venetoclax, and then additional consolidation therapy regimens of decitabine and middle-dose cytarabine, middle-dose cytarabine and idarubicin were performed. The patient relapsed 16 months later and failed to achieve a second remission after re-induction therapy regimens of cladribine, azacitidine, venetoclax combined with chemotherapy, and homoharringtonine, cytarabine combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Tislelizumab significantly reduced tumor burden and the patient achieved the complete remission after bridging to UCBT. After transplantation, the patient was given maintenance treatment with azacitidine and he had sustained remission without severe transplant-related complications during 9-month follow-up.Conclusions:The use of tislelizumab bridging UCBT can be a potential therapeutic strategy for R/R AML patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect and prognostic factors of rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimen in treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).Methods:The clinical data of 56 patients aged ≤65 years in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from June 2007 to November 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimen was used, and the effects of clinical features, treatment regimen and biological indexes on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were observed.Results:The median age of 56 patients was 57 years old, including 43 males and 13 females. Among these cases, 24 patients received R-CHOP chemotherapy regimen; 29 patients received cytarabine-containing chemotherapy regimen, including R-hyper CVAD/R-MA regimen used in 15 patients and R-CHOP alternating with R-DAHP regimen used in 14 patients; and 3 patients received other treatment regimens. Among 56 patients, 19 patients received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) consolidation therapy. The median OS time was 74 months, 2-year OS rate was 83.8%, 3-year OS rate was 70.9%, 2-year PFS rate was 72.0% and 3-year PFS rate was 49.7%. International prognostic index (IPI) high-risk and receiving ASCT or not during the treatment were independent influencing factors of OS and PFS in MCL patients. The overall response rate (ORR) in cytarabine-containing regimen group was higher compared with that in R-CHOP regimen group (93.1% vs. 83.3%), and there was no statistically significant difference ( χ2=0.465, P=0.495). In addition, there were no significant differences between two groups in both OS ( χ2=0.291, P=0.590) and PFS ( χ2=0.912, P=0.339). ASCT consolidation prolonged the median OS time (72 months vs.124 months, χ2=3.973, P=0.040) and the median PFS time (34 months vs. 90 months, χ2=3.984, P=0.046) in MCL patients achieving remission after induction therapy. Among patients in simplified MCL IPI (sMIPI) score middle-high risk group, compared with those not receiving ASCT, patients receiving ASCT therapy could obtain better OS and PFS (OS: χ2=5.037, P=0.025; PFS: χ2=6.787, P=0.009); among patients of sMIPI score low risk, there were no statistically significant differences in OS and PFS between the group receiving ASCT and not (all P > 0.05). Conclusions:Cytarabine-containing chemotherapy regimen has no predicatively satisfactory value in improving the prognosis and survival for MCL patients. For MCL patients who have achieved remission after reduction therapy and those in sMIPI score middle-high risk group, ASCT consolidation therapy can improve the prognosis and can be taken as the first-line consolidation treatment in young patients.

Objective:To examine the efficacy of haploidentical stem-cell transplantation (haplo-SCT) for patients with refractory relapsed (R/R) non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) by comparing with those contemporaneously undergoing HLA-matched SCT in myeloablative conditioning settings.Methods:Between January 2006 and December 2018, a total of 151 patients undergoing haplo-SCT ( n=81) or HLA-matched SCT ( n=70, sibling or unrelated) were enrolled. Median age of alloSCT was 30(5-59) years. And 150 patients received myeloablative conditioning (MAC) consisting of total body irradiation (12 Gy) plus cyclophosphamide or busulfan plus cyclophosphamide. Only one case had reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) with R-FBA (fludarabine, busulfan & cytarabina). It was followed by an infusion of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor-primed bone marrow (G-BM) and/or peripheral blood stem cells without in vitro T cell depletion. In haplo-SCT and HLA-matched unrelated donor for SCT, GVHD prophylaxis consisted of antithymocyte globulin, cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil and a short course of methotrexate. Clinical efficacy, hematopoietic reconstitution and transplant-related complications were retrospectively analyzed. Results:Among them, 146(96%) patients engrafted with a median time to neutrophil and platelet recovery of 12 and 15 days respectively. During a median follow-up period of 19 months, 66 of them survived (43.7%) and 67 (44.4%) died (39 disease recurrence, 27 transplantation-related mortality). Between haplo-SCT and HLA-matched SCT groups, progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 49.4% and 50.5% ( P=0.577); overall survival (OS) rate 56.7% and 57.4% respectively ( P=0.963). The cumulative incidences of relapse (CIR) were 36.6% and 37.7% ( P=0.836) and those of cumulative incidences of non-relapse mortality (NRM) 22.0% and 24.7% ( P=0.530). And the cumulative incidences of chronic GVHD were 42.3% and 39.6% ( P=0.46) respectively. Conclusions:No inter-group difference exists in each major HSCT endpoint. Multivariate analysis reveals that occurrence of grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ aGVHD has a significantly worse prognosis. And primary chemorefractoriness is a strongest relapsing factor.

Objective:To explore the application of venetoclax in transplantation of patients with refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods:The diagnosis and treatment process of a patient with refractory AML who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) under venetoclax and hypomethylating agents bridging myeloablative preconditioning regimen after induction therapy failure in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The patient was a 28-year-old female who was diagnosed with refractory AML. The patient was initially given induction chemotherapy with IA (idarubicin+cytarabine) (3+7) regimen, but the disease did not relieve, then the induction chemotherapy with CLAG (cladribine+cytarabine+granulocyte colony stimulating factor) regimen was given, but the disease still did not relieve. After chemotherapy with venetoclax and hypomethylating agents bridging myeloablative preconditioning regimen, salvage haploid allo-HSCT was performed. Re-examination of bone marrow showed remission, and implantation was successful. The patient was followed up for 100 days and had sustained remission, and no transplantation complications occurred.Conclusion:For refractory AML patients who have failed primary induction therapy, the use of venetoclax and hypomethylating agents bridging myeloablative preconditioning regimen can be used as a preferred solution for salvage allo-HSCT.

Dasatinib is a highly effective second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In 2007, a pivotal phase-2 study of dasatinib as second-line treatment was initiated in 140 Chinese CML patients. This report from the 4-year follow-up revealed that 73% of 59 patients in chronic phase (CML-CP) and 32% of 25 patients in accelerated phase (CML-AP) remained under treatment. The initial dosage of dasatinib for CML-CP and CML-AP patients were 100 mg once daily and 70 mg twice daily (total = 140 mg/ day), respectively. The cumulative major cytogenetic response (MCyR) rate among patients with CML-CP was 66.1% (versus 50.8% at 18 months), and the median time to MCyR was 12.7 weeks. All CML-CP patients who achieved MCyR after a 4-year follow-up also achieved a complete cytogenetic response. The cumulative complete hematological response (CHR) rate among patients with CML-AP was 64% (16/25), with three CML-AP patients achieving CHR between 18 months and 4 years of follow-up; the median time to CHR was 16.4 weeks. The adverse event (AE) profile of dasatinib at 4 years was similar to that at 6 and 18 months. The most frequently reported AEs (any grade) included pleural effusion, headache, and myelosuppression. These long-term follow-up data continue to support dasatinib as a second-line treatment for Chinese patients with CML.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of sequential treatment with first-line administration of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and first-generation TKI (imatinib) in patients with Ph⁺ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph⁺ ALL) followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical features and prognosis of 76 newly diagnosed Ph ⁺ALL patients from June 2011 to December 2015 treated by allo-HSCT combined with first-line administration of second-generation or first-generation TKI was performed and the efficacy compared. Results: Of 76 Ph⁺ ALL patients, first-generation TKI was administered in 57 cases, second-generation TKI in 19 cases, including 10 cases of nilotinib and 9 cases of dasatinib. There was no significant difference in age, WBC counts, additional chromosomal abnormalities, time form diagnosis to transplantation, transplantation type, conditioning regimen or TKI initiation time between the two groups. Complete remission (CR) rates at the fourth week of induction therapy in first-generation TKI group and second-generation TKI group was 93.0% and 94.7% (P=1.000), respectively. Major molecular response (MMR, BCR-ABL/ABL reduce 3 log) rates meanwhile were 46.0% and 40.0% (χ²=0.169, P=0.681). Relapse rates before transplantation were 14.0% and 10.5% (P=1.000). MMR rates before transplantation were 54.4% and 68.2% (χ²=1.152, P=0.283). The 2-year overall survival (OS) rates of first-generation and second-generation TKI group were 62.0% and 94.7% (χ²=5.765, P=0.016), 2-year event-free survival (EFS) rates were 46.3% and 84.2% (χ²=5.644, P=0.018), respectively. Univariate analysis showed that second-generation TKI could improve OS (HR=0.126, 95%CI 0.017-0.939, P=0.043). Multiple factors analysis showed that second-generation TKI (HR=0.267, 95%CI 0.081-0.873, P=0.029) and MMR before transplantation (HR=0.496, 95%CI 0.254-0.968, P=0.040) were good independent prognostic factors of EFS. Conclusions There was significant difference in the efficacy of second-generation TKI and first-generation TKI for Ph⁺ ALL patients treated by allo-HSCT. First-line administration of second-generation TKI showed better efficacy than that of first-generation TKI for Ph⁺ ALL patients.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the prevalence of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection in patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSThe occurrence of EBV viremia, EBV disease and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) were retrospectively analyzed in 736 patients received allo-HSCT in single-center from 1st January 2012 through July 31th, 2014.

RESULTSOf 736 patients (302 male and 434 females) with a median age of 31 (2 to 62) years old, EBV infection occurred in 181 patients, the total incidence of EBV infection was 27.6%, with a median time of 57 (16 to 829) days. The cumulative incidences of probable EBV disease and PTLD were 7.2% (13/181) and 2.8% (5/181). Viral load higher than 1.0×10(4) copies/ml occurs in 130 patients, of which 67 patients received rituximab as pre-empty prophylaxis and significantly reduced the incidences of probable EBV disease and PTLD (6.0% vs 22.2%, P=0.009). The mortality was 27.6% in all patients with EBV infection: 24.5% in EBV viremia, 53.8% in probable EBV disease, and 60.6% in PTLD. By univariate and multivariate analysis, the use of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), HLA-mismatch HSCT, cGVHD and CMV reactivation were independent risk factors for EBV infection. The time of first EBV reactivation was closely related with cGVHD(OR=0.620, 95%CI 0.453-0.849, P=0.003) and bone marrow or cord blood (OR=1.156, 95%CI 1.022-2.250, P=0.039) as source of stem cells for transplantation.

CONCLUSIONEBV reactivation is a common complication in patients with allo-HSCT, especially high mortality in PTLD and probable EBV disease. The use of ATG, HLA-mismatch HSCT, cGVHD and CMV reactivation were independent risk factors for EBV infection. The usage of rituximab as pre-empty prophylaxis may reduce the incidences of probable EBV disease and PTLD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antilymphocyte Serum ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; complications ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; complications ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Rituximab ; therapeutic use ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Viral Load ; Virus Activation ; Young Adult