Optimizing management of myelodysplastic syndromes post-allogeneic transplantation

Abstract

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is still the only potentially curative treatment for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Improvements in donor selection, supportive care and the introduction of reduced-intensity conditioning have led to a decrease in early transplant mortality. However, relapse rates have not changed significantly in recent years. Furthermore, treatment options for patients relapsing after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are limited and often short-lived. Thus, optimizing the post-transplant outcome by maintenance approaches or minimal residual disease-directed preemptive therapy is an important goal of current clinical research. Further strategies aiming at an improved prevention of graft-versus-host disease are currently under investigation.

Keywords::

• azazitidine
• lenalidomide
• maintenance therapy in MDS
• MDS
• MRD-directed preemptive treatment
• optimizing GvHD
• post-allogeneic transplantation

Financial & competing interests disclosure

G Ehninger has received honoraria from Celgene. U Platzbecker has received honoraria from Celgene and Novartis. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.