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Post-Transplant Events

Tumor incidence in related hematopoietic stem cell donors

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 46, pages 1240–1244 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Late malignancies have been discussed as a potential risk for growth factor mobilized donors of hematopoietic stem cells. Little is known about the incidence and potential risk factors. This single center retrospective cohort study evaluated all HLA-identical sibling pairs with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for a hematological malignancy, treated from 1974 to 2001 at the University Hospital of Basel. Three hundred eighteen pairs were identified, 291 donors (92%) could be contacted. Median observation time was 13.8 years (range 5–32 years). Sixteen (5%) donors had developed a total of 18 tumors, 17 recipients a secondary tumor. According to the age- and sex-adapted cancer incidence, 3.3 tumors in male and 6.8 in female donors were expected, 3 (relative risk (RR): 0.91, 95% confidence interval: 0.19–2.66) and 4 (RR: 0.58, 95% confidence interval: 0.16–1.48), respectively, were found in donors between 0 and 49 years. Between 50 and 69 years, 4.5 tumors in males and 4.8 in females were expected, 5 (RR: 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 0.36–2.59) and 6 (RR: 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.45–2.67), respectively, were observed. Tumors do occur in donors of hematopoietic stem cells at least at the rate as expected in a normal population; whether incidence exceeds expected rates needs to be determined in larger international cohorts.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant of the Swiss National Research Foundation, 3200BO-118176, the Swiss Cancer League and the Foundation Swiss Blood Stem Cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stem Cell Transplant Team, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    A Jeger, G Favre, M Stern, A Rovo, J Rischewski, A Tichelli, A Gratwohl & J Halter

  2. Swiss Association of Cancer Registries, Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland

    J-M Lutz & M Usel

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  1. A Jeger
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  2. G Favre
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  3. J-M Lutz
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  4. M Stern
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Correspondence to J Halter.

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AG is member of a Novartis advisory committee and gets research support from AMGEN, Roche, Novartis, BMS and Pfizer. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Jeger, A., Favre, G., Lutz, JM. et al. Tumor incidence in related hematopoietic stem cell donors. Bone Marrow Transplant 46, 1240–1244 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2010.291

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