Prognostic factors for survival after allogeneic transplantation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) offers a curative option in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Prognostic factors for survival after allo-SCT have not been sufficiently defined: pheno-/genotype, patients´ age, conditioning regimens and remission at allo-SCT are under discussion. We analyzed the outcome of 180 consecutive adult ALL-patients undergoing allo-SCT at our center between 1995 and 2018 to identify specific prognostic factors. In our cohort 19% were older than 55 years, 28% had Philadelphia-positive B-ALL, 24% T-ALL. 54% were transplanted in first complete remission (CR1), 13% in CR2 after salvage therapy, 31% reached no remission (8% within first-line, 23% within salvage therapy). In 66% conditioning contained total body irradiation (TBI). With a median follow-up of 10 years, we observed an overall survival of 33% at 10 years, and a progression free survival of 31%. The cumulative incidence of relapse was 41% at 10 years, the cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality 28%. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) II°–IV° occurred in 31%, moderate/severe chronic GvHD in 27%. Survival was better in patients reaching CR before allo-SCT and in those receiving TBI. No difference between patients younger/older than 55 years and between different phenotypes was observed. Survival after allo-SCT improved considerably over the last decades.