Effect of Stem Cell Transplant on Survival in Adult Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: NCDB Analysis

A retrospective analysis was performed to investigate the survival outcomes in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) based on treatment received.

Data from 17,504 men and women (≥18 years of age) registered in the National Cancer Database who were diagnosed with ALL between 2004 and 2013 and had follow-up to the end of 2014, were analyzed. The primary predictor variable was treatment received, and overall survival was the outcome variable. Additional variables addressed and adjusted included gender, age, race, Charleston Comorbidity Index, level of education, income, insurance, distance traveled, facility type and diagnosing/treating facility.

The mean age of patients was 48.8 years with a standard deviation of 19.3 years. In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for secondary predictor variables, treatment modality was a statistically significant predictor of overall survival from ALL. Relative to patients who were treated with chemotherapy only, the patients who got chemotherapy and stem cell transplant had a decreased risk of mortality by 39%. Of the 5,409 patients between the ages of 18 and 39 years i.e. adolescent and young adults (AYA), no statistically significant survival difference was found between patients treated with stem cell transplant and those not.

Stem cell transplant led to improved survival for all age groups except the AYA.