Can KIR B content model be used to aid selection of haplo-donors
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Retrospective Analysis to Evaluate if KIR B Haplotype Donors Associate With a Reduced Risk of Relapse in Patients with Haematological Malignancies following Haploidentical Transplantation at the Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Hammersmith Hospital ICHNHST
IRAS ID
331954
Contact name
Arthi Anand
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 25 days
Research summary
Stem cell transplant remains the only curative therapy for patients with blood cancers. However, it can be difficult to find a well matched donor, particularly if a patient does not have a fully matched relative. In some instances, it is possible to use a donor who is matched for half of their human leukocyte antigens called a haploidentical transplant. Haploidentical donors improve the speed and probability of finding a donor and subsequent transplant. The use of post-transplant cyclophosphamide has increased favourability of this option, by diminishing graft vs host disease. However, the main cause of haploidentical transplant failure is disease relapse. A model has been designed called the KIR B content model, which advocates for donors with better or best KIR B content scores and some transplant centres use this model to help them select a haploidentical donor when multiple potential donors are available. We intend to investigate if this model could benefit patients at our centre. We will do this by investigating previous haploidentical transplants, by performing KIR typing of donor DNA to input into this model. The DNA has been obtained and stored from blood that has been taken at ICHT as part of routine work up for stem cell transplantation. Afterwards, we will look at the clinical outcomes of these transplants including overall survival and rates of relapse, infection, graft vs host disease and non-relapse mortality. If donors who score more highly (better and best donors) outperform donors with lower scores (neutral) then this will provide evidence for adding KIR typing as a service at our laboratory to help the stem cell transplant programme in selection of haploidentical donors. This study will involve stem cell transplants performed at Imperial College Healthcare and all work will be performed at the Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics lab at Hammersmith Hospital.
REC name
London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/1027
Date of REC Opinion
1 Nov 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion