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The following is a summary of “Improved survival in older patients with myeloid malignancies undergoing haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation with low-dose anti-thymocyte globin (ATG)/post-cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-based regimen for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis,” published in the March 2025 issue of Annals of Hematology by Jia et al. 

The study analyzed haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (haplo-PBSCT) outcomes in older patients using a low-dose antithymocyte globin (ATG)/post-cyclophosphamide (PTCy) regimen to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study comparing haplo-PBSCT with matched unrelated/sibling donors (MUD/MSD)-PBSCT in elderly patients with myeloid malignancies from 2016 to 2023. 

They analyzed 127 patients, with 40 undergoing MUD/MSD-PBSCT and 87 receiving haplo-PBSCT. 

The results showed similar incidences of grades II-IV and III-IV acute GVHD. Haplo-PBSCT had lower moderate to severe chronic GVHD (8.19% vs. 23.40%, P=0.067), higher graft-versus-host disease-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) (68.85% vs. 46.61%, P=0.041), and lower cumulative incidences of relapse (CIR) (11.16% vs. 31.98%, P=0.010). Disease-free survival (DFS) (74.11% vs. 59.67%, P=0.231), overall survival (76.30% vs. 64.00%, P=0.482), and non-relapse mortality (14.73% vs. 5.00%, P=0.116) were comparable. 

Investigators found that haploidentical transplants with a low-dose ATG/PTCy regimen improved GRFS and lowered CIR in older patients with hematologic malignancies.

Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00277-025-06305-1