Minimal residual disease prior to stem cell transplant for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a highly effective therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Concerns about unnecessary toxicity and expense mean that SCT is currently largely reserved for children who cannot be cured with chemotherapy. Not surprisingly, many such children also fail SCT. Retrospective studies have shown that a single analysis of minimal residual disease (MRD) pre-SCT identified those at highest risk of relapse. It is now appropriate to call for the universal incorporation of standardized MRD testing into SCT protocols as the next step to maximize the clinical impact of this technology in ALL.
Goulden
Nick
N
Royal Bristol Hospital for Sick Children, Bristol, UK, UniversitätsKinderklinik, Tübingen, Germany. nick.goulden@ubht.swest.nhs.uk
Bader
Peter
P
Van Der Velden
Vincent
V
Moppett
John
J
Schilham
Marco
M
Masden
Hans O
HO
Krejci
Ondrej
O
Kreyenberg
Hermann
H
Lankester
Arjan
A
Révész
Tom
T
Klingebiel
Thomas
T
Van Dongen
Jacques
J
D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D018579:Patient Selection; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence