Influence of age on outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a single center study in patients aged ⩾60

Reduced intensity conditioning regimens lead to an increasing use of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in elderly patients. We retrospectively analyzed 151 patients aged ⩾60 receiving allogeneic HCT 2000–2012 at our center. Median age was 66 years. Kaplan–Meier estimated 3-year OS was 42% with a median follow-up of 38 months. Cumulative incidences of progression and non-relapse mortality after 3 years were 38 and 24%. OS was better in the group of patients >65 years with a Kaplan–Meier estimated OS of 50% vs 34%, P =0.060. We observed a significant influence of donor age (<50 years: 53% vs >50 years: 30%, P =0.017) and gender match (matched: 57% vs mismatched: 32%, P =0.007) on outcome. The use of a matched related donor was inferior compared with a matched or mismatched unrelated donor (19% vs 47%, P =0.015). On multivariate analysis there was an increased hazard ratio for a non-gender-matched HLA-matched-related donor (hazard ratio 3.23, 95% confidence interval 1.55–6.74, P =0.002). Age had no significant impact on OS ( P =0.414). In conclusion, the data suggest that older age alone has no negative impact on the outcome of allogeneic HCT. Transplant decision should be tailored to disease risk and patient performance status rather than age.