Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplantation in Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Prevention of Relapse

Myelodysplastic syndromes Myelodysplastic syndromes: (my-eh-lo-diss-PLASS-tik SIN-dromez) A group of disorders where the bone marrow does not work well, and the bone marrow cells fail to make enough healthy blood cells. Myelo refers to the bone marrow. Dysplastic means abnormal growth or development. People with MDS have low blood cell count for at… (MDS) mainly affect the elderly population, which implies that the majority of patients cannot tolerate intensive therapeutic approaches, including allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The underlying impaired stem-cell function leads to peripheral cytopenia cytopenia: (sie-tuh-PEE-nee-uh) A shortage of one or more blood cell types. Also called a low blood count. , including a propensity to progress to acute myeloid leukemia acute myeloid leukemia: (uh-KYOOT my-uh-LOYD loo-KEE-mee-uh) A cancer of the blood cells. It happens when very young white blood cells (blasts) in the bone marrow fail to mature. The blast cells stay in the bone marrow and become to numerous. This slows production of red blood cells and platelets. Some cases of MDS become… . Allo-HSCT is considered the only potentially curable therapy. Reduced-intensity conditioning regimens have shown to improve early tolerability of the procedure, but late effects like graft-versus-host disease and relapse remain major challenges in the care of these patients. Therefore, special attention should be paid to posttransplantation care in terms of graft-versus-host disease management, measurable residual disease monitoring, and prevention of relapse. In fact, recent advances in the field have shown that minimal residual disease measurement and preemptive therapies may be a promising approach to prevent or at least delay relapse. This review briefly discusses indication and selection of patients for allo-HSCT in MDS, pretransplantation evaluation and choice of conditioning regimens, and prophylactic prophylactic: Something that prevents or protects. Blood thinners may be given as a prophylactic to prevent blood clots in high risk patients. and preemptive approaches to prevent relapse after allo-HSCT.