Cord Blood & Haploidentical Grafts Coinfusion Improves AML Treatment Outcome: Study

Picture this! You have a well-kept garden full of wonderful plants. But one fine day there grows a weed. And gradually it starts to spread, taking over the garden and its available resources, to a point where your favourite plants are deprived of all nutrition & they ultimately stop growing. This is exactly what happens when the human body develops cancer. 

With over 200 types of cancers in the world, AML or Acute Myeloid Leukaemia remains one of the most aggressive ones that requires immediate medical attention.^{1 2} AML is a cancer that develops in your blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. This happens when a random mutation in their genetic material makes them go rogue & grow uncontrollably. AML generally affects those over 60, but the younger population could get it too.³

In this blog, we’ll explore the current treatment options available for AML patients & also shed light on recent research that sought to revolutionise AML treatments using cord blood in conjunction with haploidentical stem cells. 

So stay tuned & read through.

Is There A Cure For AML?

Yes! The current cure for AML is stem cell transplantation. Allogenic stem cell transplantation is the preferred choice for such patients. This is because the donor cells’ immune system, when introduced into the host body may recognise any remaining cancer cells as foreign & kill them.⁴

For treating AML through an allogeneic transplant, the doctors use stem cells from a healthy matched donor (related or unrelated) or infant cord blood (a rich source of stem cells). Because these stem cells can differentiate into multiple cell types & thereby replace the cancer cells.⁴

The steps for stem cell transplantation include:⁵

• Chemotherapy (with or without radiation) to kill cancer cells.
• Introduction of healthy donor stem cells through IV to form new healthy cells.

What Is Haploidentical Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation?

Haploidentical Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (Haplo HCT) is a type of allogeneic stem cell transplant. Haploidentical means that the donor is a half-match (usually a family member).⁶ This transplant regime holds promise for patients diagnosed with AML.

But the haplo-identical transplants also carry a couple of risks. These include:⁷

• Risk of cancer relapse- which means, there could be a chance that cancer could come back after the cancer/treatment)
• Risk of Graft vs Host Disease (when the transplanted donor cells start reacting against the host cells)

A recent study by Chinese researchers sought to overcome these challenges. The team attempted to combine Haplo HCT and unrelated cord blood grafts (Haplo-Cord HCT) for treating AML patients.⁷

So what did they observe in their findings?

Let’s delve a little deeper into the study before answering this question.

Study Highlights: Haplo HCT Vs Haplo-Cord HCT For Treating AML Patients

The clinical trial included AML patients aged 18-60 years. The 268 patients underwent chemotherapy first & were later divided equally into two groups. One of the groups received Haplo HCT while the other received the coinfusion of Haplo HCT & cord blood.

The study revealed several key findings which are as follows: ⁷

• The survival rate after 3 years was 80.5% for the Haplo-Cord HCT group & 67.8% for the Haplo HCT group.
• The Haplo-Cord HCT group also exhibited higher chances of progression-free survival (the duration after starting treatment that the cancer did not worsen) and lower rates of cancer relapse.
• There was no significant increase in the list of severe adverse events (AEs) faced by participants in the Haplo-Cord group. It was more or less similar to the AEs faced by participants in the Haplo HCT group.
• Recovery of neutrophils post-transplant was quicker in the Haplo-Cord HCT group as compared to the Haplo HCT group. The Haplo-Cord HCT group also showed a faster increase in their T cell numbers initially. This signifies the relatively quicker reconstitution of the host immune system after transplant.

Overall, the results indicated that the coinfusion of cord blood with Haplo HCT improved the AML patients’ outcome & survival without causing excessive AEs as compared to Haplo HCT alone.

Summing Up

It’s safe to say that Haplo-Cord HCT is like a silver lining in the dark clouds for AML patients. Moreover, umbilical cord blood, often discarded after birth is a lifesaving treasure trove, given the countless diseases apart from AML that it can help cure. And through a simple & harmless procedure of cord blood banking, you can save lives!

So if you’re an expecting parent, sign up for LifeCell’s Stem Cell Banking & protect your baby and your entire family against the impact of 82+ conditions for a lifetime. 

For more details visit www.lifecell.in or call 18002665533.