Treatment of relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in children and adolescents with ALL: the Frankfurt experience

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2017 Feb;52(2):201-208. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2016.224. Epub 2016 Sep 19.

Abstract

Therapy for post-transplant relapse of paediatric ALL is limited. Standardised curative approaches are not available. We hereby describe our local procedure in this life-threatening situation. A total of 101 ALL patients received their first allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in our institution. After relapse, our primary therapeutic goal was to cure the patient with high-dose chemotherapy or specific immunotherapy (HDCHT/SIT) followed by a second SCT from a haploidentical donor (transplant approach). If this was not feasible, low-dose chemotherapy and donor lymphocyte infusions (LDCHT+DLI) were offered (non-transplant approach). A total of 23 patients suffered a post-transplant relapse. Eight patients received HDCHT/SIT, followed by haploidentical SCT in 7/8. Ten received LDCHT+DLI. The eight patients treated with a second transplant and the ten treated with the non-transplant approach had a 4-year overall survival of 56% and 40%, respectively (P=0.232). Prerequisites for successful treatment of post-transplant relapse by either a second transplant or experimental non-transplant approaches are good clinical condition and the capacity to achieve haematological remission by the induction treatment element.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Allografts
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Deutschland
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Infant
  • Lymphocyte Transfusion*
  • Male
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / therapy*
  • Recurrence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Tissue Donors*