Anti-T-lymphocyte globulin (ATLG) compared to post-transplant cyclophosphamide as GvHD prophylaxis in ALL patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation

We retrospectively analyzed high-risk ALL patients in CR1 receiving total body irradiation based conditioning regimen with ATLG ( n = 74) or PTCy ( n = 73) for GVHD prophylaxis. The 3-year OS and LFS were similar in both groups: 65 and 60% in the ATLG group and 64 and 67% in the PTCy group ( p = 0.9 and 0.5, respectively). CIR and NRM rate at three years was 12 and 21% after PTCy and 19 and 20% after ATLG ( p = 0.4 and p = 0.9, respectively). Acute GvHD grades II-IV and grades III/IV at 100 days was 46 and 19% after PTCy and 33 and 10% after ATLG ( p = 0.08 and p = 0.9, respectively). Chronic GvHD of all grade at two years was higher after PTCy: 55% versus 26% ( p < 0.001). Based on the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, aGvHD grades II-IV was trending higher in the PTCy group compared to the ATLG group ( p = 0.07). In contrast to the PSM analysis, on multivariate analysis the receipt of PTCy compared with ATLG was associated with a reduced CIR ( p = 0.026). Our retrospective single-center analysis shows a lower incidence of acute and chronic GvHD while displaying similar LFS and OS after ATLG compared to PTCy in TBI based allogeneic stem cell transplantation for high-risk ALL.