When Less Is Good, Is None Better? The Prognostic and Therapeutic Significance of Peri-Transplant Minimal Residual Disease Assessment in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Adam Lamble; Rachel Phelan; Michael Burke

doi:10.3390/jcm6070066

When Less Is Good, Is None Better? The Prognostic and Therapeutic Significance of Peri-Transplant Minimal Residual Disease Assessment in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

J Clin Med. 2017 Jul 7;6(7):66. doi: 10.3390/jcm6070066.

Authors

Adam Lamble¹, Rachel Phelan², Michael Burke³

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. [email protected].
² Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplant, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. [email protected].
³ Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplant, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. [email protected].

Abstract

The measurement of minimal residual disease (MRD) in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has become the most important prognostic tool of, and the backbone to, upfront risk stratification. While MRD assessment is the standard of care for assessing response and predicting outcomes for pediatric patients with ALL receiving chemotherapy, its use in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) has been less clearly defined. Herein, we discuss the importance of MRD assessment during the peri-HSCT period and its role in prognostication and management.

Keywords: ALL; leukemia; minimal residual disease; pediatric; transplant.

Publication types

Review