Parameters for predicting allogeneic PBSCT outcome of acute myeloid leukemia: cytogenetics at presentation versus disease status at transplantation

In addition to the clinical disease status at transplantation, the cytogenetic risk at presentation also provides critical information for predicting the prognosis or deciding the future therapeutic strategy. As such, the current study examined various parameters, including the cytogenetics at presentation and clinical disease status at transplantation, regarding their effect on the transplant outcomes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients in an allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) setting. A total of 36 patients receiving an allogeneic PBSCT from matched sibling donors were included in a state of first complete remission (CR) (n=22, 61%) or beyond the first CR (n=14, 39%). The cytogenetic risk was classified according to Medical Research Council (MRC) 10 criteria: favorable, 7 patients (20%); intermediate, 21 patients (58%); unfavorable eight patients (22%). The 3-year overall survival rates were 80% for the favorable, 63% for the intermediate, and 0% for the unfavorable cytogenetic risk groups (p=0.0002), and 62% for the patients in a state of first CR and 35% for those beyond the first CR (p=0.0524). Multivariate analysis revealed that higher CD34+ cell doses, favorable cytogenetics at presentation, and a lower marrow blast percentage at transplantation were all strongly associated with favorable transplant outcomes, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and the probability of progression. The cytogenetic risk at presentation was found to be a useful parameter in predicting the transplant outcomes for patients with AML, regardless of the clinical disease status. However, an additive innovative therapeutic strategy is still needed to overcome an unfavorable cytogenetic risk with refractory AML after allogeneic PBSCT.