title: Detection of minimal residual disease by real-time PCR can be used as a surrogate marker to evaluate the graft-versus-myeloma effect after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is an effective and potentially curative treatment for some cases of multiple myeloma (MM). The curative efficacy of allo-SCT may be largely attributed to its immunological activity, the graft-versus-myeloma (GVM) effect. To evaluate the kinetics of residual myeloma cells, we analyzed the follow-up bone marrow samples of three MM patients by means of a real-time molecular assay. We identified a consistent correlation between onset of graft-versus-host disease and disease response. These data suggest that real-time molecular follow-up can be used to monitor the GVM effect and that it can be employed in the clinical setting to tailor post transplant immunomodulation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Ematologia Molecolare, Istituto Scientifico HS Raffaele, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voena
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malnati
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Majolino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fagà
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Montefusco
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ladetto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boccadoro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corradini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods*; D020350:Graft vs Tumor Effect; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000628:therapy*; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers