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Between 2001 and 2009, 121 patients with severe aplastic anemia ( SAA) underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ( HSCT) using a conditioning protocol of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide at three Indian hospitals. Donors were HLA-identical sibling or family donors. Seventy-six patients were considered 'high risk' as per criteria. The graft source included peripheral blood stem cells in 109 and G- CSF-stimulated bone marrow in 12. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine and mini-methotrexate. Engraftment occurred in 117 (96.6%) while two had graft failure and two expired in the first two wk. Neutrophil engraftment was seen at 12.3 d (range: 9-19) while platelet engraftment occurred at 12.4 d (range: 8-32). Grade II- IV acute GVHD was seen in 26.7% and grade IV GVHD in 8.6%. Chronic GVHD occurred in 44% and was extensive in 10%. The five-yr overall survival for the entire cohort is 75.8 ± 3.9% with a survival of 95.6 ± 3.1% in the low-risk group (n = 45) and 64.0 ± 5.6% in the high-risk group (n = 76). Conditioning with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide is associated with very good long-term survival in patients undergoing HSCT for SAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is one of the best therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and a proven post-remission therapy for intermediate and high-risk AML. The best HSCT source seems to be a matched sibling donor (MSD), but in the absence of one, a readily available haplo-identical donor provides an equally high cure rate. This is of relevance in a developing country like India as the cost of an unrelated donor is usually unaffordable. We present our experience from a single centre. We analysed retrospective data of 122 AML patients who have undergone HSCT between Jan-2012 to Jun-2019 at our centre. Fludarabine + Busulfan or Fludarabine + Melphalan based conditioning regimen were used in MSD transplant and John Hopkins's protocol was followed in haploidentical HSCT. Cyclosporine + methotrexate was used as GVHD prophylaxis in MSD and unrelated donor group and cyclophosphamide + tacrolimus + mycophenolate was used for haploidentical post-transplant. Day 100 Survival, overall survival, incidence of GVHD and CMV reactivation was computed. Out of 122 patients, 69 (56.6%) were males, the mean age was 29.05±20.13 (range, 1 -74) years. Peripheral blood stem cell (99%) was the predominant graft source with majority of matched sibling donor (MSD; 54.1%) compared to Haplo-identical donors (30%). Figure 1 shows the demographic and clinical details of the study patients. The incidence of acute GVHD (40.9% vs 32.6%; p=0.372) and chronic GVHD (16.7% vs 15.2%; p=0.837) are similar in MSD and Haplo transplantation. There were 25 (38%) deaths in MSD and 23 (50%) deaths haplo-identical transplantation (p=0.245). The day-100 survival and overall survival function is significantly better in MSD transplantation (p<0.05; Figure 2). Disease status at latest follow up showed that 81% were in remission and 19% had relapsed. Our study showed comparable outcomes in MSD and Haplo-identical transplant with respect to incidence of GVHD and mortality. However, the survival function is better with MSD transplantation. Haplo-identical transplant is a feasible option in case of non-availability of MSD, due to ease of donor availability and strong motivation from the family donor to donate the stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]