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Minimal Residual Disease

The role of molecular monitoring in autotransplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 29, pages 581–587 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Seventy-two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were evaluated for the presence of molecular markers (IgH, bcl-1, bcl-2 rearrangement) on bone marrow, at diagnosis and after PBSCT, and on harvests in order to find a possible predictive role of minimal residual disease on treatment outcome. At diagnosis, 41 (59%) out of 69 available bone marrows showed molecular involvement. Fifty-six percent of leukaphereses were involved, mainly indolent lymphoma (P = 0.001) or advanced disease (P = 0.01). Ex vivopurging cleared only one stem collection out of 31 PCR-positive leukaphereses. Aggressive lymphomas showed both a longer overall survival (OS) (P = 0.03) and relapse-free survival RFS (P = 0.02) when transplanted with unpurged stem cells, whereas indolent NHL survival was not influenced by ex vivo purging. Twenty out of 26 samples taken during follow-up had bone marrow involvement at diagnosis. Of these, 15 cleared their bone marrow; both OS and RFS were significantly longer in the PCR-negative cases (P = 0.05 and P = 0.005). At 1 year after PBSCT, 75% of patients were PCR negative, with 50% molecular remissions; the relapse rate was 55% for patients still PCR positive vs 29% for those who were PCR negative. Thus, after high-dose chemotherapy, close molecular monitoring of MRD using qualitative PCR techniques seems to represent a reliable prognostic indicator.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology, Transplant and Advances in Medicine – Section of Hematology, University of Pisa, Italy

    S Galimberti, F Caracciolo, R Fazzi, F Papineschi, E Benedetti, F Guerrini & M Petrini

  2. Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Hematology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    R Marasca, M Federico & G Torelli

  3. Hematology Department, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AO Reggio, Calabria, Italy

    F Morabito

  4. Hematology Department, Hematology Unit, AO Reggio, Calabria, Italy

    E Oliva

  5. Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, S Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy

    N Di Renzo

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Galimberti, S., Marasca, R., Caracciolo, F. et al. The role of molecular monitoring in autotransplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Bone Marrow Transplant 29, 581–587 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703422

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703422

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