Role of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with high-risk T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma: An analysis of clinical outcomes

Abstract Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is believed to be an effective treatment for high-risk (HR) T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma (T-ALL/LBL), a rare but highly aggressive disease. This study aimed to analyse the treatment outcomes of allo-HSCT in adult patients with HR T-ALL/LBL. From January 2005 to April 2022, we retrospectively analysed 56 adult patients with HR T-ALL/LBL who underwent allo-HSCT. Multivariate analysis showed that central nervous system (CNS) involvement and disease status at transplantation in second complete remission (≥CR2) were independent risk factors for overall survival (OS), whereas the development of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after allo-HSCT was an independent protective factor for OS. Independent risk factors for leukaemia-free survival were disease status at transplantation in ≥CR2 and the development of cGVHD after allo-HSCT. The independent protective factor for cumulative incidences of relapse was the development of cGVHD after transplantation. The disease status at transplantation in ≥CR2 was also an independent risk factor for non-relapse mortality. In conclusion, Allo-HSCT was effective for treating patients with HR T-ALL/LBL. CNS involvement during treatment, disease status at transplantation, and the development of cGVHD after transplantation were independent prognostic factors affecting treatment outcomes.