Comparison of single-unit umbilical cord blood transplantation and haploidentical transplantation using posttransplant cyclophosphamide during first complete remission of acute myeloid leukemia.

This registry-based study from Japan compared outcomes of single-unit umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) and posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY)-based haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT) in acute myeloid leukemia patients in first complete remission.

Key findings include:

• UCBT showed lower engraftment rates and a higher incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
• UCBT had less extensive chronic GVHD compared to haplo-HCT.
• Both groups had similar 3-year overall survival and GVHD/relapse-free survival.
• Relapse rates and non-relapse mortality were comparable between the two transplant methods.

These findings support both UCBT and PTCY-based haplo-HCT as effective alternative donor options when a matched donor is unavailable.