Objectives: This study investigates whether achieving complete remission (CR) with undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) affects outcome.
Methods: We retrospectively studied 46 patients transplanted for CLL and evaluated for post-transplant MRD by flow cytometry.
Results: At transplant time, 43% of the patients were in CR, including one with undetectable MRD, 46% were in partial response, and 11% had refractory disease. After transplant, 61% of the patients achieved CR with undetectable MRD status. By multivariate analysis, reaching CR with undetectable MRD 12 months after transplant was the only factor associated with better progression-free survival (P = 0.02) and attaining undetectable MRD, independently of the time of negativity, was the only factor that correlated with better overall survival (P = 0.04).
Conclusion: Thus, achieving undetectable MRD status after allo-SCT for CLL is a major goal to improve post-transplant outcome.
Keywords: allogeneic transplantation; chronic lymphocytic leukemia; flow cytometry; minimal residual disease.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.