title: Long-term follow-up of myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation using Campath "in the bag" as T-cell depletion: the Leiden experience.
abstract: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) but can be prevented by removing T-lymphocytes from the graft. Campath (anti-CD52) antibodies have been widely used in vivo for T-cell depletion following conventional and reduced intensity conditioning regimens. The use of Campath in vivo was associated with a significant reduction in GVHD but at the cost of impaired immune reconstitution. We evaluated the long-term outcome of 73 myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplants with HLA-identical sibling donors using Campath "in the bag" as method of in vitro T-cell depletion. All patients engrafted and hematopoietic recovery was uneventful, resulting in a median of 99% donor chimerism at 3 months after alloSCT. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation occurred in 53% of the patients. No CMV disease was observed probably as a result of pre-emptive (val)ganciclovir treatment. The incidence of aGVHD was low (22% grade II). No grades III-IV aGVHD was observed and extensive chronic GVHD (cGVHD) occurred in 19% of the patients. The low incidence of GVHD and successful pre-emptive antiviral therapy resulted in low TRM of 8%. Sixteen patients died due to disease relapse after alloSCT, resulting in an overall survival of 48% at 5-years after alloSCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. barge.hematology@lumc.nl
authors.forename: R M Y
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Barge
authors.forename: C W J
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Starrenburg
authors.forename: J H F
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Falkenburg
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Fibbe
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Marijt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willemze
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion / Q000379:methods; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000401:mortality; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D015774:Ganciclovir