Assessment of chimerism and immunomodulation to prevent post-transplantation relapse in childhood acute myeloblastic leukemia: is it the right approach?

Relapse of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) after first allogenic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a fatal complication. Sixty-five children transplanted for AML were included in a prospective national study from June 2005 to July 2008 to explore the feasibility of preemptive immune modulation based on the monitoring of blood chimerism. Relapse occurred in 23 patients (35%).

Functional classification of ATM variants in ataxia-telangiectasia patients.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a recessive disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM). This disease is characterized by progressive ataxia, telangiectasia, immune deficiency, predisposition to malignancies, and radiosensitivity. However, hypomorphic variants may be discovered associated with very atypical phenotypes, raising the importance of evaluating their pathogenic effects.

Follow-up of post-transplant minimal residual disease and chimerism in childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia: 90 d to react.

Relapse after transplantation is a major cause of treatment failure in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Here, we report the findings of a prospective national study designed to investigate the feasibility of immune intervention in children in first or subsequent remission following myeloablative conditioning. This study included 133 children who received a transplant for ALL between 2005 and 2008.

Clinical value of pre-transplant minimal residual disease in childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia: the results of the French minimal residual disease-guided protocol.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is a major predictive factor of the cure rate of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Haematopoietic cell transplantation is a treatment option for patients at high risk of relapse. Between 2005 and 2008, we conducted a prospective study evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of the reduction of immunosuppressive medication shortly after a non-ex vivo T depleted myeloablative transplantation.

Double umbilical cord blood transplantation for hematological malignancies: a long-term analysis from the SFGM-TC registry.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is a curative treatment for many hematologic malignancies for which umbilical cord blood (UCB) represents an alternative source of HSCs. To overcome the low cellularity of one UCB unit, double UCB transplantation (dUCBT) has been developed in adults. We have analyzed the outcome of 136 patients who underwent dUCBT reported to the SFGM-TC registry between 2005 and 2007.