Haploidentical stem cell transplantation as a salvage therapy for cord blood engraftment failure in a patient with Fanconi anemia

A 7‐year‐old male with Fanconi Anemia who developed primary graft failure following one antigen‐mismatched unrelated cord blood transplantation and a nonradiation‐based conditioning, underwent a second hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from his 2‐loci mismatched haploidentical father, using a nonradiation‐based regimen, 79 days after the first HSCT. A sustained hematological engraftment was achieved at 9 days post‐second HSCT. At 15 months post‐second HSCT; the patient demonstrated normal blood counts, sustained donor chimerism, and no evidence of GVHD. Haploidentical HSCTs as primary or secondary sources of stem cells, with appropriate T‐cell depletion, may be a readily available option in the absence of HLA‐matched related or unrelated donors. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:580–582. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.