Improved clinical outcomes of rhG-CSF-mobilized blood and marrow haploidentical transplantation compared to propensity score-matched rhG-CSF-primed peripheral blood stem cell haploidentical transplantation: a multicenter study

The effects of haploidentical rhG-CSF-mobilized blood and marrow transplantation (HBMT) on hematological malignances are well established. Previous prospective single-center studies have demonstrated better survival after HBMT versus haploidentical rhG-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (HPBSCT) for acute leukemia (AL) not in remission (NR) or in more than the second complete remission (>CR2). To test the hypothesis that HBMT is still superior to HPBSCT for patients with AL, multiple myeloma (MM), or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in CR1/CR2 and for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the first and second chronic phase lacking a matched donor, we designed a propensity score method-based multicenter study. Hematopoietic recovery, acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), and chronic GVHD were comparable between the HBMT group ( n =168) and the HPBSCT group ( n =42). No significant differences were found in non-relapse mortality rate (20.17%±3.58% and 27.24%±7.16%, P =0.18) or relapse rate (19.96%±3.72% and 28.49%±8.25%, P =0.32) between the HBMT group and the HPBSCT group. HBMT recipients had better overall survival (65.0%±4.2% and 54.2%±8.3%, P =0.037) and disease-free survival (59.9%±4.6% and 44.3%±8.7%, P =0.051). Multivariate analysis showed that HPBSCT was associated with poorer DFS (HR (95%CI), 1.639 (0.995–2.699), P =0.052). Our comparisons showed that HBMT was superior to HPBSCT as a post-remission treatment for patients lacking an identical donor.