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Blinatumomab as bridging therapy in paediatric B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia complicated by invasive fungal disease
Author(s) -
Yeoh Daniel K.,
Blyth Christopher C.,
Kotecha Rishi S.
Publication year - 2022
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.18314
Subject(s) - blinatumomab , medicine , chemotherapy , minimal residual disease , acute lymphocytic leukemia , refractory (planetary science) , disease , b cell , oncology , alemtuzumab , immunology , cd19 , immune system , lymphoblastic leukemia , leukemia , transplantation , antibody , physics , astrobiology
Summary Invasive fungal disease (IFD) remains a challenging complication of treatment for paediatric acute leukaemia. Consensus fungal treatment guidelines recommend withholding chemotherapy to facilitate immune recovery in this setting, yet prolonged delays in leukaemia therapy increase risk of relapse. Blinatumomab, a bispecific T‐cell engager targeting cells expressing CD19, has shown promise for treatment of relapsed/refractory B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B‐ALL) and is associated with reduced toxicity compared to conventional chemotherapy. With close monitoring of minimal residual disease, we demonstrate that children with B‐ALL can receive repeated cycles of bridging blinatumomab whilst conventional chemotherapy is withheld during treatment and recovery from IFD.