Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, especially haploidentical HSCT, may improve long-term survival for high-risk pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the tyrosine kinase inhibitor era

Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ALL) occurs in 3% –5% of patients with childhood ALL and is associated with dismal outcomes when treated with chemotherapy alone in the era of pre-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) [1]. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is often recommended because it results in a lower relapse rate [1- 3]. Over the past decade, an imatinib-incorporating regimen has been reported to increase complete remission (CR) and has resulted in promising outcomes similar to that of allo-HSCT in pediatric patients with Ph+ALL [4-7].
Source: Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation - Category: Hematology Authors: Source Type: research