title: Donor lymphocyte infusion for leukemia relapse after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Leukemia relapse is a serious therapeutic challenge following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In this retrospective study, 23 patients [15 (65.2%) AML, 8 (34.8%) ALL] who received DLI+/-reinduction chemotherapy for post-transplant relapse were reviewed. The overall response rate of DLI was 66.7% for AML and 50% for ALL. A total of 15 patients (65.2%) developed acute graft versus host disease (GVHD). Response rates were higher in patients with GVHD (80% versus 25%; p=0.01; OR: 12.0). The probability of OS was better in patients who respond to DLI (p=0.04). Further strategies are required to improve the anti-tumor properties of alloreactive donor lymphocytes and to obtain durable responses with DLI in patients with relapsed acute leukemia after allogeneic HSCT.
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Ankara, Turkey. zyegin@gazi.edu.tr
authors.forename: Zeynep Arzu
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Yegin
authors.forename: Zübeyde Nur
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Ozkurt
authors.forename: Sahika Zeynep
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Aki
authors.forename: Gülsan Türköz
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Sucak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000628:therapy*; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000628:therapy*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult