Mode
Text Size
Log in / Sign up

Meta-analysis of HSCT with treosulfan in Ataxia Telangiectasia patients shows mixed survival outcomes and significant toxicities.

Meta-analysis of HSCT with treosulfan in Ataxia Telangiectasia patients shows mixed survival outcome…
Photo by Nathan Rimoux / Unsplash
Key Takeaway
Note that HSCT with treosulfan in A-T patients shows 50% survival but significant toxicity and mortality risks.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T), a population of 16 individuals including a single case report. The primary outcome assessed was survival, with secondary outcomes including drug-related toxicities, graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), leukemia-free survival, and thymic function. Conditioning regimens included myeloablative (MAC), reduced-intensity (RIC), and reduced-toxicity (RTC) protocols.

Among the 16 patients, 8 survived, representing a 50% survival rate. Mortality was observed across all conditioning intensities: both patients receiving MAC conditioning died (100%), three of nine patients receiving RIC died (33.3%), and one of two patients receiving RTC died (50%). Significant drug-related toxicities were reported in 8 of 16 patients (50%), and GvHD occurred in 8 of 16 patients (50%). In specific cases, one patient achieved leukemia-free survival, normalized thymic function, and remained without GvHD.

Safety and tolerability were limited by the underlying chromosomal instability of A-T, resulting in low tolerance to chemotherapy. Serious adverse events included deaths associated with MAC, RIC, and RTC conditioning. While some functional recovery was noted in individual cases, the overall data reflects significant toxicity and mortality risks. The study notes a lack of robust clinical data due to the inherent genetic instability of the A-T population.

Practice relevance suggests that new HSCT strategies, such as treosulfan therapeutic drug monitoring and personalized drug profiles, warrant reevaluation to potentially achieve durable remission in leukemia and lymphoma. However, the evidence remains limited by the small sample size and the inclusion of a single case report within the systematic review.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis
EvidenceLevel 1
PublishedApr 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
There is a lack of clinical data on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) patients due to the underlying chromosomal instability that leads to low tolerance to chemotherapy. To effectively manage cancer and immune risks, there is a need for improved HSCT protocols, novel therapies, and long-term monitoring. This report describes a 16-year-old boy with A-T and T-ALL who achieved long-term leukemia-free survival after HSCT using a tailored, drug-monitored conditioning regimen. His results were analyzed in the context of a systematic review of the literature on HSCT outcomes in A-T patients. A thorough literature review was conducted using a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. The search was limited to studies published between September 1, 2000, and September 1, 2025. Eligible studies were required to involve human participants and to include at least one patient with a confirmed diagnosis of A-T, with transplantation interventions. The analysis included 16 A-T patients, including our patient, who underwent HSCT. The median age at transplantation was 48 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 22–142 months). Myeloablative conditioning (MAC) was administered to two patients, both of whom died. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) was utilized for nine patients, with three deaths (33.3%). Reduced-toxicity conditioning (RTC) was administered in two patients, with one patient experiencing a fatal outcome. In total, eight patients (50%) experienced significant drug-related toxicities, eight (50%) had GvHD and only eight patients (50%) survived. Our patient underwent HSCT of a matched sibling donor after administration of adjusted treosulfan doses (cumulative AUC of 4671 mg/Lxh), and achieved leukemia-free survival with complete hematological and normalized thymic function without graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Despite the historically poor survival outcomes observed in transplanted A-T patients, new HSCT strategies, such as treosulfan therapeutic drug monitoring and personalized drug profiles to select potent but less toxic agents, warrant reevaluation to achieve durable remission in leukemia and lymphoma. These findings underscore the necessity to persist in the development of innovative HSCT approaches with the objective of expanding therapeutic options for both malignancies and combined immunodeficiency.
Free Newsletter

Clinical research that matters. Delivered to your inbox.

Join thousands of clinicians and researchers. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.