Reduced-Intensity Conditioning before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients Over 60 Years: A Report from the SFGM-TC

This retrospective multicenter report assessed the outcome of 600 patients with hematologic diseases older than 60 years who received reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), with the specific aim to compare outcomes of patients between 60 and 65 years old (N = 493) with those older than 65 years (N = 107). Except for donor age, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding patients, diseases, and allo-HSCT characteristics. At time of RIC allo-HSCT, 276 patients (46%) were in complete remission. With a median follow-up of 22.8 and 23.7 months in the younger and the older groups, respectively, 2-year relapse, nonrelapse mortality, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates were similar in both groups (29.6% vs. 20.4%; 29.9% vs. 34.6%; 40.6% vs. 46.7%; 49.2% vs. 50.2%, respectively; P = NS for all comparisons). In a Cox multivariate analysis, after adjustment for disease and transplant factors, age per se was not an adverse factor for survival (relative risk = 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.44, P = .62). We conclude that in selected patients, RIC allo-HSCT could be offered to patients over 65 years old.