Affiliated Sites
  • Clinicians Network Payer Bioinformatics
Be The Match

Javascript disabled. This site requires JavaScript How to enable JavaScript.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Close

NMDP

Be The Match
  • About Us
  • E-News Sign Up
  • My Cart
  • Transplant Indications and Outcomes
    • Disease-Specific Indications and Outcomes
      • AML - Adult
      • AML - Pediatric
      • ALL - Adult
      • ALL - Pediatric
      • MDS
      • CML
      • CLL
      • NHL
      • Hodgkin Lymphoma
      • Multiple Myeloma
      • Severe Aplastic Anemia & Marrow Failure
      • Sickle Cell Disease
      • Immune Deficiency Diseases
      • Inherited Metabolic Disorders
      • Thalassemia
      • Other Diseases
    • Additional Outcomes
      • Unrelated vs. Sibling Donor Outcomes
      • Older Patient Outcomes
      • Timing Impact on Outcomes
    • Eligibility
    • Referral Timing Guidelines
    • HLA Today
  • Transplant Therapy and Donor Matching
    • Cell Sources
    • HLA Typing and Matching
    • Donor or Cord Blood Search Process
      • Likelihood of Finding a Match
      • Preliminary Search Request
    • Jason Carter Clinical Trials Program
  • Post-Transplant Care
    • Early Complications
    • Vaccinations
    • Long-Term Care Guidelines
      • Pediatric Considerations
    • Chronic GVHD
      • Skin
      • Nails
      • Scalp and Body Hair
      • Eyes
      • Mouth
      • Lungs
      • Muscles, Fascia, Joints
      • Hematopoietic & Immune
      • GI Tract
      • Liver
      • Genitalia
      • Other
    • Post-Transplant Guidelines
  • Research and News
    • Browse Research
      • Pre-transplant blinatumomab reduces MRD, time to HCT for pediatric patients with B-ALL
      • Novel cytogenetic-based risk scores predict HCT outcomes for patients with CLL
      • Cryopreservation of allogenic HCT grafts does not adversely impact early post-HCT outcomes
      • Precision medicine initiative uses whole genome sequencing to identify novel prognostic signatures and the impact of genomic subgroups in MDS allogeneic HCT patients
    • Browse News
    • About Our Research
    • Transplant Enews
      • Advances in Transplant Enews
      • Resource Connection Enews
  • Resources and Education
    • HCT Presentation Slides
      • Hemaglobinopathies, Transplant Consultation Timing Guidelines
      • Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN), Transplant Consultation Timing Guidelines
    • Patient Resources
    • Financial Resources
    • Materials Catalog
    • Obstetrician Resources
    • Education Catalog
      • Sickle Cell Disease: Exploring treatment options and psychosocial care
      • Continuing Education Discontinuation
      • Building Yourself From The Ground Up
      • Advances in HCT Over Time
    • Technique Video
    • Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Training for Public Donation
  • Disease-Specific Indications and Outcomes
  • Additional Outcomes
  • Eligibility
  • Referral Timing Guidelines
  • HLA Today

HLA Today


  • Transplant Indications and Outcomes
  • HLA Today
  • Email
  • Print This Page

HLA Today

Early HLA Typing for Improved Patient Outcomes

HLA Today offers critical information early in a patient’s disease course

For patients newly diagnosed with a condition for which allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) may be indicated, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing along with cytogenetic testing is critical at the time of diagnosis. This allows the process for finding a related or unrelated donor to begin as early as possible, even before your patient has a transplant consultation.

Our free HLA Today program removes barriers to patient and family member HLA typing at diagnosis.

There is no cost to you, your patient or their family members, and no insurance paperwork to file.

Explore the following sections. Then contact us to get started.

  • How HLA today supports your treatment decision-making for your patient
  • How to get started with HLA Today in your hematology/oncology practice
  • How to request HLA typing for family members
  • Early HLA typing allows barriers to HCT to be addressed sooner
  • Research shows clinical benefit of early HLA typing
  • Additional resources for clinicians and your patients
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Request HLA Today kits

How HLA Today supports your treatment decision-making for your patient

We’re offering HLA Today to hematologists/oncologists because research has shown you can increase the likelihood your patient will have better treatment outcomes by conducting HLA typing and cytogenetic testing at the time of diagnosis.1

When these standards of care are followed, patients are more likely to have HCT in early stage disease. Studies on HCT have revealed that patients who receive transplant in earlier disease stages have better outcomes than those transplanted in more advanced disease stages.2

Through HLA Today, you’ll receive not only your patient’s HLA typing information. You’ll also receive a preliminary search report on unrelated donor matches from Be The Match Registry®. In addition, you can request HLA typing of relatives.

When you have all of this information early, you have the information you need to make the best treatment decisions for your patients. For appropriate patients, consultation at a transplant center can happen promptly.

The HLA Today program has been successful in increasing patient access to HCT, particularly for patients who are ethnically diverse. 

When looking at the patients being treated at transplant centers, those who were typed through HLA Today are proportionally more ethnically diverse (22%) than those not typed through the HLA Today program—a population that has not historically been referred for transplant at the same rate as white patients.

 

How to get started with HLA Today in your hematology/oncology practice

Getting started with HLA Today is easy. You place an order for free buccal swab kits from our team at the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match®. We deliver the kits to your hematology/oncology practice so you have them available for newly diagnosed patients.

You use a buccal swab kit to gently collect genetic material from your patient’s cheek at the time of diagnosis. Then you send the completed kit to the NMDP/Be The Match.

You can also request free HLA typing for family members. Because the NMDP/Be The Match is covering the cost of the program for patients and their relatives, you do not need to file insurance paperwork or wait for approvals for HLA typing.

We conduct your patient’s high-resolution HLA typing at the same laboratory that performs HLA typing for our NMDP/Be The Match donors.

In seven to 10 days, you’ll receive an email that includes:

  • Your patient’s high-resolution HLA typing
  • An initial search report that includes the number of adult unrelated donor or cord blood units that match your patient
  • A list of resources to help your patient in the event transplant is needed

If you request family member intermediate-resolution HLA typing, you will receive those results separately.

You’ll use the information to make critical treatment decisions with your patient as early as possible. No matter the search report prognosis, we encourage you to consult with a transplant center as early as possible.

Early referral allows barriers to HCT to be addressed sooner. A transplant center can help you and your patient explore all treatment options beyond fully matched related or unrelated donors.

Request HLA Today kits

How to request HLA typing for family members

When you conduct family member HLA typing at the time of your patient’s diagnosis, you’ll know right away if your patient has a related donor match. This can help you and the transplant center make treatment decisions.

The service includes shipment of a buccal swab kit to selected family members and intermediate resolution HLA typing. The family members you choose for typing will receive a buccal swab kit with instructions on swabbing and returning the kit.

Because the kit must be mailed to the family member and returned to the lab for testing, you will receive a separate email with the typing results.

To request family member HLA typing through HLA today, email the following patient information to HLAToday@nmdp.org. We will reach out to the patient to collect their family member information:

Patient Information

Name:
Date of birth:
Email or phone #:

If you prefer to provide us the family information, please email HLAToday@nmdp.org with the following information:

Family Member Information

Name:
Relationship to patient:
Date of birth:
Shipping address:
Phone number:
Email address:

Selecting family members for HLA typing

When selecting family members for HLA typing, remember the following relatives are most likely to be selected by a transplant center as a fully matched or haploidentical related donor:

  • Full siblings (highest likelihood of being a full match)
  • Half siblings
  • Biological parents
  • Biological children

Hematopoietic stem cell donors must be in generally good health with no chronic illnesses that are severe or not well-managed and no whole-body autoimmune diseases.

Early HLA typing allows barriers to HCT to be addressed sooner

When HLA typing occurs at diagnosis, the process of finding an HLA matched related or unrelated donor for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can start early. This is important because finding a suitable donor can take time, especially if the preliminary search report shows a patient has an HLA type not commonly found on the registry.

If your patient does not have a fully matched related donor, unrelated donor or cord blood unit available, early HLA typing also allows the transplant center to evaluate alternative options. This could include a donor with a lower degree of HLA match or a haploidentical related donor.

Starting the donor search early can increase the likelihood your patient can undergo transplant at the optimal time.

In addition, your patient’s care team will have more time to address any non-immunologic barriers to transplant. For example, issues with insurance or caregiver support.

The NMDP/Be The Match offers a number of services for patients—including financial assistance and clinical trial search support—to help patients overcome obstacles to transplant.

Which patients can benefit from HLA Today? 

HLA Today is available for any patient newly diagnosed with a condition for which HCT may be indicated. Common conditions include:

  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
  • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
  • High-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

Research shows clinical benefit of early HLA typing

The HLA Today program is based on the results of the SWOG 1203 study of high-risk adult patients with AML. The researchers used a disciplined, organized process for early HLA typing and cytogenetic testing, rapid donor identification, and early referral for HCT.

In the study, hematologists/oncologists expedited HLA typing for all patients with high-risk cytogenetics at the time of diagnosis. Early cytogenetic testing and HLA typing allowed for earlier initiation of donor identification and referral for HCT consultation, which led to:

  • 65% transplant rate in CR1 compared to the historical rate of 40% (p <0.001)
  • 37% increase in 2-year overall survival among patients who underwent transplantation compared with patients who did not undergo transplantation (48% vs 35%, respectively p=0.031)

Researchers concluded that better outcomes in poor prognosis patients with AML may be achieved by initiating the process to find family member or unrelated donors at the time of diagnosis and performing HCT consistently in CR1.1

Request HLA Today kits

Additional resources for clinicians

Considerations for HCT consultation

Advances in HCT now permit older adults with selected comorbidities and good functional status to safely undergo HCT for curative intent with a relatively low and acceptable risk of non-relapse mortality. Therefore, the consideration of HCT primarily includes patient and disease characteristics, not age alone.

Delays in referral can reduce success rates for transplant. There may be a narrow window of opportunity to proceed to transplant and delays might preclude transplant altogether.

The NMDP/Be The Match and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) jointly developed guidelines identifying appropriate timing of consultation for autologous or allogeneic HCT based on disease characteristics. The guidelines are based on current clinical practice, medical literature, National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) Guidelines for the treatment of cancer, and evidence-based reviews.

The referral timing guidelines are available as a free mobile app download, online or as a PDF. Access the referral timing guidelines.

High-resolution HLA typing at diagnosis is recommended for patients with many diseases including:

  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
  • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
  • High-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

Post-transplant care resources available for clinicians

After your patient leaves the transplant center and returns to your care, your support is critical to their long-term recovery and survival.

To help you deliver the specialized care your patient needs, we offer a three-part post-transplant care guide. We developed the guide in partnership with leading transplant organizations and based on peer-reviewed publications.

The guide includes:

  • Recommended post-transplant screening and preventive practices to be used at a patient’s six-month, one-year and annual appointments
  • Recommended immunization schedule to be consulted prior to a patient’s six-month appointment and as needed at future appointments
  • Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) guide, which identifies clinical manifestations and symptoms of chronic GVHD along with a photo atlas

The post-transplant care recommendations are available as a free mobile app download, online or as a PDF. Access the post-transplant care recommendations.

Pre- and post-HCT education and financial resources for patients

When you are discussing treatment options with your patient, they may have questions about allogeneic stem cell transplantation. They might have concerns about paying for transplant. They may be wondering about what life is like after transplant.

We offer free resources for you to use with your patient and their family. We also offer financial assistance to support patients before and after transplant, as well as one-on-one support.

Find additional information on available patient resources and support and patient financial assistance.

Frequently asked questions

Why should I do HLA typing at my practice before I send a patient for HCT consultation? Shouldn’t that happen at the transplant center? Am I duplicating work?

Completing HLA typing at diagnosis is a standard of care for many conditions for which HCT may be indicated according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.3

By completing HLA typing at diagnosis, those patients who have intermediate- and poor-risk disease features can proceed to HCT consultation without delay. By starting to identify potential donors and prepare for HCT early, the likelihood that the patient can undergo transplant at the optimal time increases.

Furthermore, HLA typing at diagnosis may assist transplant centers start their processes early and save time. Once a patient is referred to a transplant center, the transplant center and their HLA lab may choose to use the HLA Today typing as one of the two required typings. The HLA typing can also help inform their first consult with the patient.

Do I need to request an HLA Today buccal swab kit for each individual patient at their time of diagnosis? When you request HLA Today kits, order as many kits as your practice needs to cover the number of patients you typically diagnose in a 3-month period. When you need more, send a request and we will ship the kits to you within a few days. We want to make sure you have kits on hand at your practice. That way you can swab your patient and request HLA typing right away at diagnosis.
Is there insurance paperwork I need to complete when I use the HLA Today program for my patients or their family members?

There is no insurance paperwork to complete for HLA Today. The program is completely free for you, your patients and their family members with no hidden costs. We want it to be as easy as possible for you to have the information you need to make treatment decisions for your patient.

How do I request free family member HLA typing?

Requesting family member HLA typing is easy. Just send an email to HLAToday@nmdp.org with information on where the buccal swab kits should be sent. You can find the information to include in the email in the How to request HLA typing for family members section.

How can I be sure the HLA testing results you provide are accurate?

Your patient’s high-resolution HLA typing and family member intermediate-resolution HLA typing will be completed at LabCorp. This is the same laboratory we use to type the more than 300,000 new potential donors who join Be The Match Registry every year. Those HLA typing results are what transplant centers rely on to find donor matches for their patients.

LabCorp is Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and American Society of Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (ASHI) certified.

How long does it take to get my patient’s HLA typing results and the preliminary donor search report?

You can expect to receive an email with this information seven to 10 business days after submitting the kit. If you request family member HLA typing, you will receive those results separately.

What information should I expect to see when you send my patient’s results?

The report will include:

  • Your patient’s high-resolution HLA typing
  • An initial search report that includes the number of adult unrelated donor or cord blood units that match your patient
  • A list of resources to help your patient in the event transplant is needed
What should I do with the report?

We encourage you to consult with a transplant center regarding the patient’s initial search report. The transplant center can assist with more details regarding HCT using either fully matched related, unrelated donors, cord blood units, as well as additional options for your patient.

Does a transplant center receive my patient’s results?

We do not automatically send the results to a transplant center. However, you can request that a specific transplant center receives the report. Just fill out the “Additional Provider Information” section on the buccal swab kit form before you send it in. We will send the transplant center your patient’s report.

Does the NMDP/Be The Match have anyone available to discuss the results if I have questions?

A physician from the NMDP/Be The Match is available to connect with you by phone. They’ll discuss the HLA typing results and preliminary search report and answer any questions you may have.

Does the NMDP/Be The Match have resources available for patients?

We provide educational resources and support to all patients as well as their families and caregivers before, during and after transplant. All of our patient resources are free.

In addition, we offer financial planning tools and grant programs to help patients with the cost of transplant. We also work with insurance companies and government officials to deepen the understanding of the coverage needs for all transplant patients.

For patients who may benefit from a clinical trial, we offer the Jason Carter Clinical Trials Program to help patients find and join a clinical trial.

Our goal is to reduce barriers to transplant for all patients who need HCT.

What is the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match?

Our mission is simple: we save lives through cellular therapy. While many know about the NMDP/Be The Match for Be The Match Registry, our services and resources extend far beyond the registry.

We serve as the hub of our global Network to:

  • Facilitate transplants
  • Improve patient access to transplant
  • Conduct research through the CIBMTR®
  • Educate and support patients
  • Provide extensive resources and education for health care professionals

We’ve also extended our services through Be The Match BioTherapies®. Be The Match BioTherapies helps organizations deliver new cell and gene therapies to save more lives and improve the quality of life for patients.

References

  1. Pagel JM, Othus M, Garcia-Manero G, et al. Rapid Donor Identification Improves Survival in High-Risk First-Remission Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia. JCO Oncology Practice 2020; 16:6, e464-e475. Access.
  2. 2. Pidala J, Lee SJ, Ahn KW, et al. Nonpermissive HLA-DPB1 mismatch increases mortality after myeloablative unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Blood. 2014; 124(16): 2596-2606. Access.
  3. 3. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN®). NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®). Access.

Request HLA Today kits

To request HLA Today swab kits or to receive more information about the program, fill out the form below. You can also contact us directly at HLAToday@nmdp.org.

For family member typing, email HLAToday@nmdp.org. Include the contact information found in the How to request HLA typing for family members section.

 

To request HLA Today swab kits or to receive more information about the program, fill out the form below. You can also contact us directly at HLAToday@nmdp.org. 

  • Email
  • Print This Page

Slides may be downloaded and used without permission for one-time presentation or personal use.  For publication, use in print or web, or repeated presentations, please submit a Copyright Request Form.

Transplant Indications and Outcomes

  • Disease-Specific Indications and Outcomes
  • Additional Outcomes
  • Eligibility
  • Referral Timing Guidelines
  • HLA Today

Transplant Therapy and Donor Matching

  • Cell Sources
  • HLA Typing and Matching
  • Donor or Cord Blood Search Process
  • Jason Carter Clinical Trials Program

Resources and Education

  • HCT Presentation Slides
  • Patient Resources
  • Financial Resources
  • Materials Catalog
  • Obstetrician Resources
  • Education Catalog
  • Technique Video
  • Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Training for Public Donation

Contact Us

About Us

Our Websites

bethematch.org
BeTheMatch.org Information and support for patients, donors and supporters of our mission.
BeTheMatchBioTherapies.com
BeTheMatchBioTherapies.com Proven solutions for organizations developing and delivering new cellular therapies
CIBMTR.org
CIBMTR.org Transplant research, clinical studies, publications and outcomes data for researchers and clinicians.
National Marrow Donor Program —
Entrusted and under contract to operate the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, including Be The Match Registry®.
Copyright © 1996-2022 National Marrow Donor Program. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Trademark & Copyright