Successful treatment of natural killer (NK) cell leukemia following a long-standing chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2003 Jun;31(12):1169-71. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1704078.

Abstract

The optimal treatment for natural killer (NK) cell leukemia after chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection has not been determined. A 15-year-old boy presented with NK cell leukemia following CAEBV infection for 5 years. The peripheral blood and BM had an increased number of CD3(-)CD56(+) large granular lymphocytes and a monoclonal integration of the EBV genome was detected. Chemotherapy was not sufficiently effective to control the disease. Allogeneic BMT from an HLA-identical sister was performed using a conditioning regimen consisting of total body irradiation, cyclophosphamide and thiotepa. The patient is disease-free with a perfect performance status 24 months after BMT. This is the first report to show that allogeneic BMT is potentially able to cure NK cell leukemia after CAEBV infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation*
  • DNA, Viral / blood
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / complications*
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural* / virology
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / etiology*
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / therapy*
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / virology
  • Male
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Virus Integration

Substances

  • DNA, Viral