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Follow‐up of post‐transplant minimal residual disease and chimerism in childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia: 90 d to react
Author(s) -
Pochon Cécile,
Oger Emmanuel,
Michel Gérard,
Dalle JeanHugues,
Salmon Alexandra,
Nelken Brigitte,
Bertrand Yves,
Cavé Hélène,
Cayuela JeanMichel,
Grardel Nathalie,
Macintyre Elizabeth,
Margueritte Geneviève,
Méchinaud Françoise,
Rohrlich Pierre,
Paillard Catherine,
Demeocq François,
Schneider Pascale,
Plantaz Dominique,
Poirée Marilyne,
Eliaou JeanFrançois,
Semana Gilbert,
Drunat Séverine,
Jonveaux Philippe,
Bordigoni Pierre,
Gandemer Virginie
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/bjh.13272
Subject(s) - medicine , minimal residual disease , ciclosporin , transplantation , hazard ratio , oncology , immunology , bone marrow , confidence interval
Summary Relapse after transplantation is a major cause of treatment failure in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ( ALL ). Here, we report the findings of a prospective national study designed to investigate the feasibility of immune intervention in children in first or subsequent remission following myeloablative conditioning. This study included 133 children who received a transplant for ALL between 2005 and 2008. Minimal Residual Disease ( MRD ) based on T cell receptor/immunoglobulin gene rearrangements was measured on days −30, 30, 90 and 150 post‐transplantation. Ciclosporin treatment was rapidly discontinued and donor lymphocyte infusions ( DLI ) were programmed for patients with a pre‐ or post‐transplant MRD status ≥10 −3 . Only nine patients received DLI . Pre‐ and post‐transplant MRD status, and the duration of ciclosporin were independently associated with 5‐year overall survival ( OS ), which was 62·07% for the whole cohort. OS was substantially higher in patients cleared of MRD than in those with persistent MRD (52·3% vs. 14·3%, respectively). Only pre‐transplant MRD status (Hazard Ratio 2·57, P = 0·04) and duration of ciclosporin treatment ( P < 0·001) were independently associated with relapse. The kinetics of chimerism were not useful for predicting relapse, whereas MRD monitoring up to 90 d post‐transplantation was a valuable prognostic tool to guide therapeutic intervention.