Treatment of congenital erythropoietic porphyria in children by allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a case report and review of the literature

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of porphyrin metabolism in which the genetic defect is the deficiency of uroporphyrinogen III cosynthase (UIIIC). Deficiency of this enzyme results in an accumulation of high amounts of uroporphyrin I in all tissues leading to hemolytic anemia, splenomegaly, erythrodontia, bone fragility, exquisite photosensitivity and mutilating skin lesions. We describe the case of a 23-month-old boy who was cured of his CEP by a matched-sibling allogeneic bone marrow transplant, and review the published clinical experience regarding transplantation in this disease. He is alive and disease-free 15 months post transplant. All of his disease manifestations except for the erythrodontia have resolved. His UIIIC level and stool and erythrocyte porphyrin metabolites have almost completely corrected. He is the sixth child reported to be cured of this disease by stem cell transplantation, five cases being long-term survivors. If patients with this disease have an HLA-matched sibling, then stem cell transplantation should be strongly considered because this is currently the only known curative therapy. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2001) 27, 101–105.