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Severe, persistent, and fatal T‐cell immunodeficiency following therapy for infantile leukemia
Author(s) -
Geerlinks Ashley V.,
Issekutz Thomas,
Wahlstrom Justin T.,
Sullivan Kathleen E.,
Cowan Morton J.,
Dvorak Christopher C.,
Fernandez Conrad V.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.26108
Subject(s) - medicine , severe combined immunodeficiency , immunodeficiency , hematopoietic stem cell transplantation , chemotherapy , complication , lymphoblastic leukemia , cd8 , leukemia , pediatrics , immunology , immune system , transplantation , biochemistry , chemistry , gene
We describe five cases of children who completed chemotherapy for infantile acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and soon after were diagnosed with severe T‐cell, non‐HIV immunodeficiency, with varying B‐cell and NK‐cell depletion. There was near absence of CD3 + , CD4 + , and CD8 + cells. All patients developed multiple, primarily opportunistic infections. Unfortunately, four patients died, although one was successfully treated by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These immunodeficiencies appeared to be secondary to intensive infant ALL chemotherapy. Our report highlights the importance of the early consideration of this life‐threatening immune complication in patients who received chemotherapy for infantile ALL.