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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
At the beginning of 2026, RELEVANT (ETAL-5), currently Germany’s largest study on allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), was launched. For many of these diseases, stem cell transplantation is currently the only curative treatment option. The study, led by researchers from Dresden and Kiel, aims to improve treatment options and long-term survival for older patients or patients with preexisting comorbidities.
Under the leadership of Prof. Friedrich Stölzel, Section for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy at the Department of Internal Medicine II of the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, as well as Dr. Désirée Kunadt and Prof. Christoph Röllig, both from the Department of Internal Medicine I at the University Hospital Dresden (UKD) and the Faculty of Medicine at TUD Dresden University of Technology, the study compares two transplantation procedures (conditioning regimens) administered to AML or MDS patients prior to stem cell transplantation.
"For most patients, transplantation is the only chance for curing blood cancer, which is why it’s essential for us to identify the most suitable treatment method," explains Prof. Christoph Röllig, Head of the Department of Haematology and the Study Center at Dresden University Hospital.
The researchers are comparing two internationally recognized chemotherapy-based regimens: the combination with treosulfan developed in Germany and the combination with melphalan, which is widely used in many other parts of the world.
"So far, we lack data on whether the therapy with treosulfan or melphalan is better tolerated or even more effective. That’s why a direct comparison in a so-called prospective randomized study, an advance-planned study in which treatments are randomly assigned, is so important," explains UKSH expert Prof. Friedrich Stölzel, who is also a professor at the Faculty of Medicine at Kiel University (CAU).
The study specifically targets older individuals over 50 years of age as well as patients with pre-existing conditions, for whom stem cell transplantation is associated with an increased risk.
“With the results, our primary goal is to improve survival rates for particularly vulnerable patient groups and, in the long term, to enhance and advance the safety and efficacy of allogeneic stem cell transplantation," says Dr. Désirée Kunadt.
About the study:
RELEVANT (ETAL-5) is a randomized Phase 2 study (IIT) conducted in the context of allogeneic stem cell transplantation for adult patients with AML or MDS. A total of 220 patients across Germany are set to be included in the study, and recruitment has just started.
The study is supported by medac GmbH and TUD Dresden University of Technology.
Further information:
• Study Alliance Leukemia and AML Cooperative Group
Website: Study Alliance Leukemia and AML Cooperative Group
• Contact to the study center for the RELEVANT (ETAL-5) study: etal-5@ukdd.de
Contact for the media:
Anne-Stephanie Vetter
Staff Unit Public Relations of Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine
at TUD Dresden University of Technology
National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) Dresden
Tel.: +49 (0) 351 458 17903
Email: anne-stephanie.vetter@tu-dresden.de
Maximilian Hermsen, Comm. Press Officer
Staff Unit Integrated Communication
University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein
Phone: +49 (0) 431 500-10 700
E-mail: maximilian.hermsen@uksh.de
Prof. Dr. med. Friedrich Stölzel
University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel
Medical Clinic II, Section for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy
E-mail: Friedrich.stoelzel@uksh.de
Dr. med. Désirée Kunadt
E-mail: Desiree.kunadt@ukdd.de
Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Röllig
E-mail: christoph.roellig@ukdd.de
Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital Dresden
Study center of the Medical Clinic and Polyclinic I,
Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine at TUD Dresden University of Technology
https://www.nct-dresden.de The NCT/UCC Dresden is a joint institution of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, the Faculty of Medicine of the Technische Universität Dresden, and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). Patients are regarded as equal partners in research.
Dr. Désirée Kunadt and Prof. Christoph Röllig, Campus University Medicine Dresden.
Source: Marc Eisele
Copyright: UKD
Ward round in the Mildred Scheel House of the UKSH on the Kiel campus. Center: Prof. Friedrich Stölz ...
Source: UKSH
Copyright: UKSH
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Dr. Désirée Kunadt and Prof. Christoph Röllig, Campus University Medicine Dresden.
Source: Marc Eisele
Copyright: UKD
Ward round in the Mildred Scheel House of the UKSH on the Kiel campus. Center: Prof. Friedrich Stölz ...
Source: UKSH
Copyright: UKSH
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