In this review of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for sickle cell disease (SCD), the authors outline the indications for transplantation in both children and adults, and note that overall survival in matched sibling HCT exceeds 90%. They note that improved outcomes have changed the risk-benefit of HCT, which has led to growing use of alternative donors—matched unrelated donors and haploidentical donor—to treat SCD. The authors note that advances in supportive care and conditioning regimens are the major reasons behind this expansion of the pool of donors. New clinical trials will address reproductive preservation and GVHD prevention in addition to alternative donors to optimize this treatment option.
Arnold SD, et al. Br J Haematol