Age is Just a Number When it Comes to Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Moffitt Cancer Center has the largest and most active blood and marrow transplant program of its kind in Florida and the Southeast and we want you to know that age is just a number.

Our Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Program is one of the only centers to offer transplantation for adults 70 and older who are indicated for a bone marrow transplant (BMT). Moffitt oncologist and hematologist Asmita Mishra, MD, was instrumental in shattering this age barrier and shifting perceptions in candidacy for transplantation in older adults.

Noting the infrequency with which allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is offered to older patients, even though it is the only potentially curative therapy for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), Dr. Mishra and her colleagues set out to conduct a national randomized trial¹ Biologic Assignment Trial of Reduced-Intensity Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Based on Donor Availability in Patients 50-75 Years of Age With Advanced Myelodysplastic Syndrome, that demonstrated survival advantage with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) transplant in adults 50-75 years of age with MDS.

Moffitt offers comprehensive services in a single location, including:

• Diagnostic services
• Donor matching
• Autologous or allogeneic transplant
• High-intensity and reduced-intensity transplants
• Cord blood transplants
• Peripheral blood stem cell transplants
• Supportive care services

The team sees patients with leukemia, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, MDS, and certain solid tumors. It is a National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) transplant and collection center that is fully accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT).

Two types of stem cell transplants are available: autologous and allogeneic.

• An autologous transplant is a procedure that extracts a patient’s own stem cells, which are frozen and then re-infused after the patient undergoes a very high dose of chemotherapy. It is generally indicated for patients with multiple myeloma and lymphoma.
• An allogeneic transplant involves stem cells from a donor and is generally indicated for patients with leukemia, aplastic anemia, lymphoma or sickle cell disease. Results from a multicenter phase 2 trial² also show promise for high-risk multiple myeloma patients. The procedure requires a patient to remain on immunosuppression medicine for months or years following the transplant.

Moffitt transplant specialists perform more than 400 transplants a year. With outcomes that often exceed national averages, the team at Moffitt is committed to educating patients about available cancer treatment options. Moffitt is also a core member of the BMT Clinical Trials Network that spearheads an ambitious clinical trials program through which patients can receive the latest treatment breakthroughs.

References:

1. Nakamura R, Saber W, Martens MJ, et al. Biologic assignment trial of reduced-intensity hematopoietic cell transplantation based on donor availability in patients 50-75 years of age with advanced myelodysplastic syndrome. J Clin Oncol. 2021;39(30):3328-3339. doi:10.1200/jco.20.03380
2. Nishihori T, Bashir Q, Pasquini MC, et al. The results of Multicenter Phase II, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maintenance ixazomib after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allohct) for high-risk multiple myeloma (mm) from the blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN 1302). J Clin Oncol. 2021;39(15_suppl):7003-7003. doi:10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.7003

If you’d like to refer a patient to Moffitt, complete our online form or contact a physician liaison for assistance. As part of our efforts to shorten referral times as much as possible, online referrals are typically responded to within 24 - 48 hours.