Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Outcomes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Similar Outcomes Regardless of Donor Type

Abstract

The use of alternative donor transplants is increasing as the transplantation-eligible population ages and sibling donors are less available. We evaluated the impact of donor source on transplantation outcomes for adults with acute myeloid leukemia undergoing myeloablative (MA) or reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) transplantation. Between January 2000 and December 2010, 414 consecutive adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia in remission received MA or RIC allogeneic transplantation from either a matched related donor (n = 187), unrelated donor (n = 76), or umbilical cord blood donor (n = 151) at the University of Minnesota or Hôpital St. Louis in Paris. We noted similar 6-year overall survival across donor types: matched related donor, 47% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39% to 54%); umbilical cord blood, 36% (95% CI, 28% to 44%); matched unrelated donor, 54% (95% CI, 40% to 66%); and mismatched unrelated donor, 51% (95% CI, 28% to 70%) (P < .11). Survival differed based on conditioning intensity and age, with 6-year survival of 57% (95% CI, 47% to 65%), 39% (95% CI, 28% to 49%), 23% (95% CI, 6% to 47%), 47% (95% CI, 36% to 57%), and 28% (95% CI, 17% to 41%) for MA age 18 to 39, MA age 40+, or RIC ages 18 to 39, 40 to 56, and 57 to 74, respectively (P < .01). Relapse was increased with RIC and lowest in younger patients receiving MA conditioning (hazard ratio, 1.0 versus 2.5 or above for all RIC age cohorts), P < .01. Transplantation-related mortality was similar across donor types. In summary, our data support the use of alternative donors as a graft source with MA or RIC for patients with acute myeloid leukemia when a sibling donor is unavailable.