Results from a study of 1,629 older adults show that older age per se should not make a patient ineligible for an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Researchers, led by Dr. Nirav Shah of the Medical College of Wisconsin, identified 446 patients with NHL ≥65 years and 1,183 patients age 55-64 years whose outcomes were reported to the CIBMTR® (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research®). All patients underwent a first allogeneic HCT between 2008 and 2015 at a U.S. transplant center using either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells as graft sources.
No significant differences were found in the 4-year overall survival (46% vs. 51%, p=0.07) and disease relapse/progression (42% vs. 41%, p=0.82) after allogeneic HCT for patients in the ≥65 year age group (median age 68) compared to patients in the 55-64 year age group (median age 60), respectively.
There were also no significant differences found in the cumulative incidence of grade 2-4 acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) at day 180 in the 55-64 years and ≥65 years cohorts: 38% vs. 35%, respectively (p=0.39). The cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD at 2 years was also comparable in the 55-64 year age group and ≥65 years cohorts: 48% vs. 45%, respectfully (p=0.25).
Shah NN, et al. Blood Advances