Haploidentical stem cell transplantation in patients aged 50yr and older with leukemia: similar outcomes compared to younger adults

AimWe aimed to analyze the complications and survival associated with myeloablative haploidentical SCT in patients aged 50yr and compare these results with a younger group population. Design and methodsIn this case-control study, enrolled patients with leukemia were identified from 1262 patients between May 2002 and May 2013 at a single institution. ResultsThirty-one patients were aged 50yr (the older group) and 165 patients were aged 18-49yr (the younger group). Of the older group, 20 of 31 (64.5%) had a hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index (HCT-CI) of 0 or 2. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in the incidences of grades II to IV acute GVHD, extensive chronic GVHD, and non-relapse mortality (NRM), or probability of relapse between the two groups. Furthermore, the 3-yr overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) were not significantly different between the older and younger groups: 67.09.3% vs. 75.3 +/- 3.4% (p=0.406) and 60.5 +/- 9.6% vs. 72.5 +/- 3.5% (p=0.183), respectively. ConclusionSelected older patients aged 50yr with low HCT-CI and good performance status could safely undergo haploidentical SCT.