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Post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY) effectively prevents graft-versus-host disease after unmanipulated HLA-haploidentical HSCT. The use of PTCY in the unrelated donor HSCT setting is less explored. We conducted a retrospective study of 132 consecutive patients undergoing a matched or 9/10 mismatched unrelated donor HSCT in 4 centers in Spain, 60 with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-based prophylaxis combined with MTX-CsA, and 72 using a PTCY-based regimen. Peripheral blood stem cells were used as graft in most patients (111 patients, 84%); mMUD donors were balanced between groups. Cumulative incidences of grades II-IV and III-IV acute GVHD at 100 days were lower in the PTCy group (46% vs. 67%, p = 0.008; 3% vs. 34%, p = 0.003), without statistically significant differences in the 2-year cumulative incidence of chronic moderate-severe GVHD. At 2 years, no significant differences were observed in overall survival, event-free survival, cumulative incidence of relapse, and non-relapse mortality. GVHD was the most frequent cause of NRM in the ATG group. No differences were observed between groups in the composite endpoint of GVHD-free and relapse-free survival. In this study, PTCy combined with additional immunosuppression after MUD/mMUD HSCT showed a reduction of aGVHD rate with safety results comparable to those obtained with the ATG-based prophylaxis.

Caso clínico: Un varón de 42 años fue atendido por pérdida visual bilateral subaguda. Como antecedentes presentaba una hepatitis C crónica activa y un síndrome de Evans. Mediante funduscopia se observaron múltiples focos de desprendimiento neurosensorial y de EPR en ambas polos posteriores. A los pocos días empeoró su estado general (fiebre alta y múltiples adenopatías). La biopsia de las adenopatías laterocervicales objetivó un linfoma B difuso de células grandes. Se le trató con quimioterapia y experimentó una paulatina reaplicación de los focos de desprendimiento seroso con mejoría visual progresiva. Discusión: El desprendimiento seroso macular bilateral puede ser una manifestación precoz de un linfoma B difuso de célula grande. El curso de estas lesiones intraoculares puede ser favorable con la remisión del linfoma. Clinical case: A 42 year-old male was assessed for a subacute, bilateral and progressive visual loss. His medical history included chronic hepatitis C infection and Evans syndrome. On fundal examination, multiple areas of neurosensorial and retinal pigmented epithelium detachment were observed in the region of both macula. A few days later, his general health deteriorated and he was noted to have a high fever and adenopathy. Biopsy of an enlarged lateral cervical lymph node demonstrated the existence of a diffuse large B cell lymphoma. After several cycles of chemotherapy, he experienced a progressive and bilateral improvement of his vision, which was accompanied by a reattachment of the previously detached areas. Discussion: A bilateral and serous macular detachment may be the initial manifestation of a diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The prognosis of these retinal lesions may be favourable if lymphoma remission is achieved.

Tisagenlecleucel (tisa‐cel) is a second‐generation autologous CD19‐targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy approved for relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B‐cell lymphoma (LBCL). The approval was based on the results of phase II JULIET trial, with a best overall response rate (ORR) and complete response (CR) rate in infused patients of 52% and 40%, respectively. We report outcomes with tisa‐cel in the standard‐of‐care (SOC) setting for R/R LBCL. Data from all patients with R/R LBCL who underwent leukapheresis from December 2018 until June 2020 with the intent to receive SOC tisa‐cel were retrospectively collected at 10 Spanish institutions. Toxicities were graded according to ASTCT criteria and responses were assessed as per Lugano 2014 classification. Of 91 patients who underwent leukapheresis, 75 (82%) received tisa‐cel therapy. Grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity occurred in 5% and 1%, respectively; non‐relapse mortality was 4%. Among the infused patients, best ORR and CR were 60% and 32%, respectively, with a median duration of response of 8.9 months. With a median follow‐up of 14.1 months from CAR T‐cell infusion, median progression‐free survival and overall survival were 3 months and 10.7 months, respectively. At 12 months, patients in CR at first disease evaluation had a PFS of 87% and OS of 93%. Patients with an elevated lactate dehydrogenase showed a shorter PFS and OS on multivariate analysis. Treatment with tisa‐cel for patients with relapsed/refractory LBCL in a European SOC setting showed a manageable safety profile and durable complete responses., This article provides real‐world European data on the results of relapsed/refractory large B‐cell lymphoma patients treated with tisagenlecleucel.