title: Anti-leukaemic activity of a novel haploidentical-transplantation approach employing unmanipulated bone marrow followed by CD6-depleted peripheral blood stem cells in children with refractory/relapsed acute leukaemia.
abstract: The treatment outcome of children with refractory acute leukaemia or relapse post-stem cell transplantation is dismal. We report 10 children (non-remission n = 7) who underwent a new haploidentical transplant approach utilizing unmanipulated bone marrow followed by CD6-depleted peripheral blood stem cells. Nine patients had successful engraftment and no evidence of leukaemia. Acute and chronic graft-versus-host-disease was observed in five and three patients, respectively; two patients died of treatment-related toxicity. Seven patients relapsed after 7 (range 3-34) months, however two patients are alive at 6·5 and 7·0 years. This approach provides anti-leukaemic activity even in heavily pre-treated children but long-term disease control requires further intervention.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Paediatric Oncology, Haematology and Clinical Immunology, Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Friedhelm R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meisel
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Führer
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reuther
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hauer
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tischer
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feuchtinger
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Laws
authors.forename: Hans-Jochem
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kolb
authors.forename: Arndt
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borkhardt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology; D006238:Haploidy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; C062279:CD6 antigen
keywords: CD6-depletion; acute refractory leukaemia; graft-versus-leukaemia-effect; haploidentical transplantation