A Pilot Study of Unrelated Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation in Patients With Severe Aplastic Anemia, Inborn Errors in Metabolism, or Inherited Hematologic Stem Cell Disorders

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the rates of durable engraftment in patients with severe aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, inborn errors of metabolism, or inherited hematopoietic disorders, refractory to medical management, who are undergoing high-dose chemoradiotherapy followed by unrelated cord blood (UCB) transplantation.
• Evaluate the rate and quality of immunologic reconstitution in this patient population.

OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to weight (under 45 kg vs over 45 kg).

Patients receive high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy as a conditioning regimen beginning 6-9 days before the umbilical cord blood transplant (UCBT). The regimen varies according to the underlying cause of the anemia, but could include busulfan, cyclophosphamide or melphalan, anti-thymocyte globulin or methylprednisolone, and/or radiation therapy. One day after the conditioning regimen is completed, patients receive the UCBT.

Patients are followed weekly for 3 months, at 6 months, then every 6 months for 2.5 years, then annually thereafter.