title: The impact of desferrioxamine postallogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in relapse incidence and disease-free survival: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several clinical and preclinical studies have shown that desferrioxamine (DFO), in addition to iron chelation, demonstrates antiproliferative activities against some aggressive malignancies and leukemic cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we investigated retrospectively the role of early DFO administration postallografting, in terms of relapse incidence (RI) and disease-free survival (DFS) in 143 patients consecutively transplanted for hematological malignancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven of 143 patients received DFO. The 5-year RI and DFS in patients who received more than 2 months DFO were 5% and 76%, respectively, as opposed to 47% and 41% in no DFO-treated patients (P=0.01, respectively). Not a single relapse event was detected in DFO-treated patients who were allotransplanted in first complete remission, and in addition, the RI was lower in DFO-treated patients with advanced disease at time of transplantation (31% vs. 75%, P=0.03). Patients with chronic graft versus host disease who received DFO had lower RI than unntreated patients (17% vs. 39%, P=0.03). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that DFO administration for more than 2 months was an independent factor for lower RI and improved DFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DFO administration postallogeneic transplantation may improve DFS by reducing relapse. This clinical observation could be only confirmed by prospective trials that will determine the role of DFO in the allotransplantation setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, BMT-Unit, George Papanicolaou Hospital, 57010 Exokhi, Thessaloniki, Greece. pkaloyannidis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Panayotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaloyannidis
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yannaki
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakellari
authors.forename: Ekaterini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bitzioni
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Athanasiadou
authors.forename: Despina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mallouri
authors.forename: Achilles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000601:surgery*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005293:Ferritins; D003676:Deferoxamine