Transplant Outcomes in Older Adults with MDS and AML 2021

Summary: Learn which older adults with AML or MDS are good candidates for transplant, likely outcomes, side effects and how transplant may impact quality of life.Stem cell transplants can be a successful treatment option for older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Patients with high-risk AML or MDS who undergo a transplant fare better than high-risk patients who do not have a transplant.
Presenter: Gabrielle Meyers MD, Associate Professor, Center for Hematologic Malignancies, Oregon Health & Science University. Meet Dr. Meyers: www.ohsu.edu/providers/gabrie...
To read the transcript, go to: www.bmtinfonet.org/video/tran...
Highlights:
- All patients with high-risk MDS up to age 75 should be considered for transplant.
- 70% of patients with AML have high-risk disease and should be considered for transplant.
- The biological age of patients with MDS or AML is less important than their overall health, functional status, and comorbidities such as a history of stroke, long-term smoking or diabetes.
Presented at the 2021 Celebrating a Second Chance at Life Virtual Symposium, April17-23, 2021
Presentation is 37 minutes long with 20 minutes of Q & A.
Key Points:
(05:59) Most patients who have an allogeneic stem cell transplant (transplant using donor cells) have either AML or MDS.
(07:15) MDS is primarily a disease of older adults. It has been called “pre-leukemia” because it often evolves into leukemia.
(09:09) MDS is classified as high-risk or low-risk, depending on the likelihood that it will become leukemia.
(09:44) Patients with low risk MDS may not need a transplant.
(14:58) Patient with high-risk MDS fare better after transplant than those who did not have a transplant.
(18:03) Transplant for patients with high-risk MDS can improve both survival rates and quality of life.
(19:26) Transplant is the only cure for patients with high-risk AML and should be done while the patient is in first remission.
(23:33) Survival rates for patients with AML who are over age 70 are better for those who undergo a transplant than for those who do not.
(29:00) Exercise to improve functional status before transplant, sometimes called pre-habilitation, and improving nutrition, can lead to better quality of life after transplant.
(34:04) Treatments are available to reduce the risk of relapse after transplant.
(35:13) The risk of graft-versus-host disease after transplant is a major concern. Ways to reduce the risk and improve treatments are currently being studied.
Meet the speaker: www.ohsu.edu/providers/gabrie...
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My sister is 63 diagnosed last September with MDS.She is undergoing transplant in 2 1/2 weeks.She has lost weight and worried she will lose too much as she goes through the heavy chemo.She feels she will be in a feeding tube because of of nausea.She is on nausea medication and Claritin for pain.Pray she gets through this and gets healthy.