Age limit for bone marrow transplant

Bone marrow transplantation is a crucial procedure for treating various conditions, and recipient age significantly impacts the outcomes. Research has shown that recipient age is a critical factor in the success of bone marrow transplants. For instance, among individuals receiving bone marrow from non-related donors, the age of the recipient was notably linked to the occurrence of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Moreover, in sibling transplants for acquired aplastic anemia, bone marrow was found to provide a survival advantage over peripheral blood, especially in individuals above the age of 50.

The age limit for bone marrow transplantation is a topic of interest, particularly in the context of treating certain diseases. While bone marrow transplantation is considered the only potentially curative treatment for advanced mantle cell lymphoma, its application is limited by age-dependent mortality. Additionally, in autologous stem cell transplantation for acute myelocytic leukemia, the age limit has been higher compared to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, with most protocols including patients up to 55 years of age.

Survivors of bone marrow transplants may experience accelerated aging, with a high incidence of severe chronic diseases post-transplant, highlighting the importance of considering age in transplant decisions. Studies have also emphasized the impact of recipient age on the success of bone marrow transplants in various conditions, emphasizing the need to carefully assess age-related factors when considering this treatment option.

References

Bacigalupo, A., Socié, G., Schrezenmeier, H., Thewis, A., Locasciulli, A., Fuehrer, M., … & Marsh, J. (2012). Bone marrow versus peripheral blood as the stem cell source for sibling transplants in acquired aplastic anemia: survival advantage for bone marrow in all age groups. Haematologica, 97(8), 1142-1148. https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2011.054841

Carlens, S., Ringdén, O., Remberger, M., Lönnqvist, B., Hägglund, H., Klaesson, S., … & Aschan, J. (1998). Risk factors for chronic graft-versus-host disease after bone marrow transplantation: a retrospective single centre analysis. Bone Marrow Transplantation, 22(8), 755-761. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1701423

Ghielmini, M. and Zucca, E. (2009). How i treat mantle cell lymphoma. Blood, 114(8), 1469-1476. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2009-02-179739

Gorin, N., Labopin, M., Pichard, P., Sierra, J., Fière, D., Rio, B., … & Frassoni, F. (2000). Feasibility and recent improvement of autologous stem cell transplantation for acute myelocytic leukaemia in patients over 60 years of age: importance of the source of stem cells. British Journal of Haematology, 110(4), 887-893. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2141.2000.02265.x

Skinner, R. and Zglinicki, T. (2016). Accelerated aging in bone marrow transplant survivors. Jama Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.0877