Recent Research
Stay up-to-date on the advancing field of HCT with short summaries and links to the most relevant published research.
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Updated evidence-based guidelines for optimal selection of unrelated donors and cord blood units for HCT
September 2019Dehn J, et al., Blood – A panel of immunogeneticists and other experts in the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has published updated evidence-based guidelines for the optimal selection of unrelated donors and cord blood units used for transplants.
The updated guidelines make recommendations for both HLA and non-HLA factors to consider in graft selection, including donor availability, donor age, patient sensitivity to HLA antigens, natural killer (NK) cell alloreactivity, and minimum total nucleated cell doses and CD34+ cell doses for cord blood units.
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Expert Panel Issues Practical “How To” Guide on Optimal Cord Blood Transplantation
August 2017Barker JN, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant – Two leading transplant organizations have joined together to publish a report on optimal practices in cord blood transplantation (CBT), including a state-of-the-art clinical “how to” guide on CBT. -
Is Cord Blood the Best Alternative Graft Source for Patients with Minimal Residual Disease?
October 2016Milano F, et al. N Engl J Med – A retrospective study of 582 patients with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes has shown that umbilical cord blood may be a superior graft choice for the approximately 70% of patients who lack an HLA-matched related donor, especially if they are minimal residual disease positive (MRD+). -
One-Year OS of 86% Achieved with Unrelated Donor HCT for Children with SCD
October 2016Shenoy S, et al Blood – This multi-center phase II trial conducted by the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) analyzed outcomes of 29 children (age range 6-19 years) with sickle cell disease (SCD) who underwent reduced-intensity conditioning unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) between 2008 and 2014. -
95% One-Year HCT Survival for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease
December 2015Krishnamurti L, et al. ASH abstract oral presentation, December 2015 – One-year overall and event-free survival probabilities were both 95% after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), according to results of a multi-center study reported at the ASH Annual Meeting. -
Improved Outcomes in Alternative Donor HCT for Fanconi Anemia
July 2015MacMillan ML, et al. Blood — This prospective study of 130 patients (age range 1-48) transplanted for Fanconi anemia (FA) has shown that over a period of 10 years, transplant toxicity has decreased and engraftment has improved, resulting in a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 58% (95% CI, 49-59). -
Comparable Outcomes in Haploidentical, Unrelated Cord Blood HCT
June 2015Ruggeri A, et al. Leukemia — A large-scale study of 1,446 patients with acute leukemias has found no significant difference in survival after transplant using unmanipulated haploidentical grafts vs. unrelated cord blood grafts. -
Simple Procedure Offers Significant Advances in Umbilical Cord Blood HCT
May 2015Popat U, et al. Blood — A simple ex vivo technique to improve the ability of umbilical cord blood cells to find their way to the bone marrow can significantly accelerate neutrophil and platelet engraftment following double cord blood transplantation. -
Excellent Survival in Pediatric Cord Blood Transplant for Non-Malignant Disorders
April 2015Martinez C, et al. Oral presentation, BMT Tandem Meetings — Pediatric patients with non-malignant disorders can achieve “excellent overall survival” of 96%, without significant GVHD, after cord blood transplantation, according to results of a prospective trial presented at the BMT Tandem Meetings. -
Alternative Donor HCT for Lymphoma Patients Lacking an HLA-Matched Donor
December 2014Bachanova V, et al. Bone Marrow Transplant — Allogeneic HCT using matched unrelated donors, mismatched unrelated donors, and umbilical cord blood (UCB) have comparable survival in patients with lymphoma, according to a large-scale analysis of 1,593 transplants between 2000 and 2010 reported to CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research). -
Adding an Ex Vivo Expanded Cord Blood Unit Improves Engraftment
December 2014Milano F, et al. ASH abstract oral presentation, December 2014 — Co-infusion of a non-HLA matched, ex vivo expanded CBU in addition to an HLA-matched CBU in a transplant recipient is safe, according to research presented at ASH, and can result in significantly more faster hematopoietic recovery: a median of 19 days to neutrophil engraftment compared to historical controls of 25 days. -
Similar Survival Rates in Children Transplanted with One vs. Two Umbilical Cord Blood Units
November 2014Wagner JE, et al. N Engl J Med – Children with high-risk blood cancers transplanted with one vs. two umbilical cord blood units had similar survival, according to a multi-center study of 224 cord blood transplants performed between 2006 and 2012 and reported to CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research). -
Comparable Transplant Outcomes in AML Regardless of Donor Source
November 2014Warlick ED, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant — A study of 414 adults transplanted for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in remission between 2000 and 2010 at two institutions has found comparable 6-year overall survival across four donor types: matched related donors (47%); umbilical cord blood (36%); matched unrelated donors (54%); and mismatched unrelated donors (51%) (p=0.11). -
Review: Donor Selection for Adults Lacking a Matched Related or Unrelated Donor
September 2014Eapen M, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant — Using a case study of a patient with de novo AML lacking a matched related or unrelated donor, the authors evaluate published current and relevant data on choosing between an umbilical cord blood transplant and a haploidentical transplant for this patient. -
High Likelihood that Patients Needing Unrelated HCT Will Find Donor on Be The Match Registry
July 2014Gragert L, et al. N Engl J Med — A study of the U.S. marrow and cord blood registry using population-based genetic models for 21 race and ethnic groups has found that, depending on the group, between 66-97% of patients will have a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched or minimally mismatched available adult donor on the Be The Match Registry®. -
Better QoL for HCT Survivors with Umbilical Cord Blood vs. Matched Sibling Donors
June 2014Liu H-I, et al. Bone Marrow Transplant — This single-center study compared outcomes of 185 consecutive adult patients who underwent myeloablative transplantation using unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB; n=70) or HLA-identical sibling donor peripheral blood stem cells alone or combined with bone marrow (BM/PBSC; n=115). -
Double Cord Blood HCT Suitable Alternative to Unrelated Donor HCT in High-Risk Patients
March 2014Ponce DM, et al. BMT Tandem Meetings abstract oral presentation, March 2014 - A single-center study of 211 patients with high-risk acute leukemia, MDS, and CML has shown that double cord blood transplantation has lower relapse risk and comparable survival compared to unrelated donor transplantation. -
Identifying Impact of Donor/Recipient Sex Match in Cord Blood Transplant
March 2014Konuma T, et al. Bone Marrow Transplant — In this retrospective study of 191 adults who underwent single cord blood transplantation (CBT), researchers found that donor/recipient sex compatibility did not have a significant impact on survival. -
Comparable Outcomes for Unrelated Donor, Cord Blood HCT in Lymphoma
December 2013Bachanova V, et al. ASH abstract oral presentation, December 2013 – A multi-center study of 1,593 adults with non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma has found that HLA-matched and one-antigen mismatched unrelated donor transplants and cord blood transplants have comparable outcomes. -
Comparable Survival in Cord Blood and Adult Donor HCT for ALL
October 2013Marks DI, et al. Haematologica - A study of 802 adults transplanted for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first or second complete remission has found comparable outcomes using three different unrelated donor graft sources. -
Report: HCT Trends in Europe
September 2013Passweg JR, et al. Bone Marrow Transplant - This survey of HCT practices in Europe in 2011 collected data on 13,470 allogeneic transplants and 18,605 autologous transplants at 651 transplant centers. -
Lower Chronic GVHD in Double Cord Blood HCT
August 2013Malard F, et al. Leukemia - Double cord blood and 9/10 matched unrelated donor reduced-intensity transplants have similar outcomes, but using cord blood results in a significantly lower incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), according to a study of 152 patients (median age 53 years) transplanted for hematological malignancies. -
Updated Guidelines on HCT Graft Selection
July 2013Spellman SR, et al. Blood - This article presents updated guidelines on the selection of unrelated donors and cord blood units for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) developed by the NMDP and the CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research). -
Review: Cord Blood Transplant Supported by Third-Party Donor Cells
July 2013Van Besien K, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant - This article reviews umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) supported by co-infusion of adult CD34+ stem cells from mismatched unrelated donors.
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Similar Survival Using Sibling, Unrelated Donor, and Cord Blood Grafts in AML
July 2013de Latour RP, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant - Reduced-intensity conditioning HCT in patients 50 years and older with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in complete remission has similar outcomes using sibling donors, unrelated donors, and cord blood units.
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Cord Blood HCT: The first 25 Years and Beyond
June 2013Ballen KK, et al. Blood - Although first used only to treat children - due to the low cell dose infused - umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been proven effective in treating adults when cord blood units of sufficient cell dose and HLA match are used.
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New Autoimmune Diseases after Cord Blood Transplantation
January 2013Daikeler T, et al. Blood - An analysis of 726 cord blood transplants reported to the European cord blood transplant database has found that the cumulative incidence of autoimmune disease developing post-transplant in these patients was 5.0% at 1 year and 6.6% at 5 years. -
Parallel Phase 2 Trials Confirm Utility of Both Haploidentical and Cord Blood HCT
July 2011Brunstein CG, et al. Blood – Two concurrent multi-center phase 2 studies have confirmed the utility of using unrelated double umbilical cord blood (dUCB) or HLA-haploidentical donor bone marrow grafts in reduced-intensity hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).