title: Tumor load in patients with follicular lymphoma post stem cell transplantation may correlate with clinical course.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the tumor load, as determined by a real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) assay, correlated with the clinical course of follicular lymphoma patients after stem cell transplantation (SCT). Cryopreserved bone marrow and/or peripheral blood samples obtained at different time intervals after SCT from 11 patients (seven allogeneic, T-cell depleted/four autologous) were tested for tumor load, as defined by t(14;18) positive cells/total cells, using RQ-PCR. None of the six patients who remained in remission had samples with a tumor load >0.01% after SCT, although fluctuating tumor loads of </=0.01% were observed in three of these patients. In contrast, four of the five patients (three allogeneic/two autologous) with relapsed/progressive disease had increasing tumor loads of >0.01% after SCT (0/6 vs 4/5, P<0.02, Fisher's exact). Our results suggest that RQ-PCR measurable tumor load >0.01% after SCT may correlate with relapsed/progressive disease. Prospective studies with greater numbers of cases are indicated to better determine the critical tumor load that predicts poor outcome after SCT with RQ-PCR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: C-C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bredeson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juckett
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Keever-Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014178:Translocation, Genetic