Mismatched transplant still helpful 3 years later
Newer treatment for people who have leukemia, lymphoma, other blood cancers
Age18 - 70 years old
Number of Participants80
Research GoalImprove Survival
Mismatched BMT could help more people get treated. BMT from a fully matched donor is best. Fully matched means that the cells from the donor and the patient match fully.
A fully matched donor lowers the risk that the patient will get graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD can be a serious effect, where the donated cells attack the patient’s cells, causing problems with their skin, lungs, digestion, and more.
However, many people with cancer do not have a fully matched donor. And recently, doctors found that a new way to prevent GVHD: a medicine called cyclophosphamide.
In a recent clinical trial, 80 people who did not have a fully matched donor got mismatched BMT instead. About half of them were people of color. All of the people had blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes and others. All of the people got BMT during 2016-2019. The people got 2 kinds of preparation for BMT: half of the people got reduced-intensity preparation, and half got myeloablative preparation.
Three (3) years after BMT, most people were still alive:
A fully matched donor lowers the risk that the patient will get graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD can be a serious effect, where the donated cells attack the patient’s cells, causing problems with their skin, lungs, digestion, and more.
However, many people with cancer do not have a fully matched donor. And recently, doctors found that a new way to prevent GVHD: a medicine called cyclophosphamide.
In a recent clinical trial, 80 people who did not have a fully matched donor got mismatched BMT instead. About half of them were people of color. All of the people had blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes and others. All of the people got BMT during 2016-2019. The people got 2 kinds of preparation for BMT: half of the people got reduced-intensity preparation, and half got myeloablative preparation.
Three (3) years after BMT, most people were still alive:
- 70% of people who got reduced-intensity preparation were still alive
- 62% of people who got myeloablative preparation were still alive
Researchers said these results were encouraging.
Keep in mind
BMT can have serious effects—it’s important to ask your doctor about possible harms and benefits of all options.
What’s next
This study was small and needs to be repeated in a larger group of people.