Stem Cell Transplantation in Cancer Treatment: Current Status and Future Direction

A special issue of Hematology Reports (ISSN 2038-8330).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (2 February 2024) | Viewed by 1025

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Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, 47014 Meldola, Italy
Interests: acute lymphoblastic leukemia; acute myeloid leukemia; myelodysplastic syndromes; multiple myeloma and MGUS; non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma
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Dear Colleagues,

Stem cell transplantation (SCT) has emerged as a well-established treatment for various malignant and non-malignant diseases of hematopoietic origin.

In recent years, improvements in transplantation techniques have led to a significant reduction in treatment-related complications. Importantly, mortality rates have declined in recent decades, despite increasing numbers of older patients and those with more comorbidities undergoing allogeneic HSCT.

This Special Issue focuses on the role of SCT in challenging cancer treatment options, covering both basic research and more clinical aspects that may advance our understanding of this intriguing process.

Dr. Claudio Cerchione
Dr. Giovanni Martinelli
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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8 pages, 459 KiB  
Study Protocol
Identifying Candidates for Effective Utilization of Stored Autologous PBSCs in Salvage Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma: Who Benefits Most?
by Amany R. Keruakous, Laura Walker, Molly Denlinger, Mohammad A. H. Mian, Danielle Bradshaw, Vamsi K. Kota and Anand P. Jillella
Hematol. Rep. 2024, 16(3), 479-486; https://doi.org/10.3390/hematolrep16030046 - 12 Jul 2024
Viewed by 351
Abstract
Background/Objectives: High-dose chemotherapy (HD-CHT) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains the gold standard for eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients, even amidst evolving therapeutic options. Clinical trials have demonstrated ASCT’s efficacy in MM, including its potential as salvage therapy after prolonged remission. [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: High-dose chemotherapy (HD-CHT) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains the gold standard for eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients, even amidst evolving therapeutic options. Clinical trials have demonstrated ASCT’s efficacy in MM, including its potential as salvage therapy after prolonged remission. Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) are now the primary source of hematopoietic stem cells for ASCT. Collecting additional PBSCs post-initial myeloablative conditioning is challenging, leading many centers to adopt the practice of collecting and storing excess PBSCs during initial therapy to support tandem transplants or salvage treatments. The use of salvage ASCT may diminish in the face of novel, highly effective treatments like bispecific antibodies and cellular therapies for relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM). Despite available stored PBSC grafts, salvage ASCTs are underutilized due to various factors, including declining performance status and therapy-related comorbidities. A cost utilization analysis from 2013 revealed that roughly 70% of patients had unused PBSC products in prolonged cryopreservation, costing a significant portion of total ASCT expenses. The average cost for collecting, cryopreserving, and storing PBSCs exceeded $20,000 per person, with more than $6700 spent on unused PBSCs for a second ASCT. A more recent analysis from 2016 underscored the declining need for salvage ASCT, with less than 10% of patients using stored PBSC grafts over a decade. Methods: To address the dilemma of whether backup stem cells remain necessary for myeloma patients, the study investigated strategies to reduce the financial burden of PBSC collection, processing, and storage. It evaluated MM patients undergoing frontline ASCT from January 2012 to June 2022, excluding those with planned tandem transplants and those who had a single ASCT with no stored cells. Discussion: Among the 240 patients studied, the median age at PBSC collection was 61. Notably, only 7% underwent salvage ASCT, with nearly 90% of salvage ASCT recipients being ≤ 61 years old at the time of initial ASCT. The study revealed a decreasing trend in salvage ASCT use with increasing age, suggesting that PBSC collection for a single transplant among elderly patients (>60 years old) could be a cost-effective alternative. Most transplant centers aimed to collect 10 × 106 CD34 + cells/kg, with patients over 65 often requiring multiple collection days. Shifting towards single-transplant collections among the elderly could reduce costs and resource requirements. Additionally, the study recommended implementing strategies for excess PBSC disposal or repurposing on the collection day to avoid additional storage costs. In summary, the decreasing utilization of salvage ASCT in MM, alongside financial considerations, underscores the need for revised stem cell collection policies. Conclusions: The study advocates considering single-transplant PBSC collections for elderly patients and efficient management of excess PBSCs to optimize resource utilization. Full article
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