title: Persistent complete molecular remission after nilotinib and graft-versus-leukemia effect in an acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient with cytogenetic relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: We report the successful treatment and sustained molecular remission using single agent nilotinib in a relapsed Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Compared to previously published studies, this is the first report where a patient did not receive additional chemotherapy after relapse, nor did she receive donor lymphocyte infusions. With nilotinib, the patient reverted back to normal blood counts and 100% donor reconstitution by single tandem repeat (STR) chimerism analysis in the bone marrow and in peripheral blood, granulocytes, T and B-lymphocytes. This report also highlights the use of nilotinib in combination with extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) for concomitant graft-versus-host disease. Our data suggests that ECP, together with nilotinib, did not adversely affect the overall Graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect.
authors.affiliation: Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, University of Central Florida, 2501 N, Orange Avenue, Suite 581, Orlando, FL, 32804, USA. vreddymedicine@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farnsworth
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Reddy