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Graft-versus-tumour effect in refractory metastatic neuroblastoma

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 39, pages 809–810 (2007)Cite this article

No efficient curative option can be currently proposed for refractory metastatic neuroblastomas after completion of conventional treatments. We report a case of successful treatment of a refractory metastatic neuroblastoma after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) performed for concomitant secondary acute myeloid leukaemia (sAML).

Here, RIC allogeneic BMT was a curative treatment for two malignancies, normally with a fatal outcome despite conventional treatment. In adults, striking GVT effects after allogeneic BMT have been published with non-myeloablative or reduced-intensity conditioning, in the treatment of refractory breast and pancreatic cancer, renal cell carcinoma and melanoma.1, 2, 3 In paediatric cancers, little is known about the possible GVT effect of allogeneic BMT, especially after attenuated conditioning regimens. Here, using an MRD technique with high sensitivity (1 per 106−107 cells),4, 5 we show evidence of the graft-versus-neuroblastoma potential of RIC allogeneic BMT. sAML occurring in a patient treated for recurrent cancer also has an extremely bad prognosis. The long-term disappearance of leukaemic cells in our patient cannot be explained solely by the drugs used,6, 7 and probably relies on the graft-versus-leukaemia (GVL) potential of allogeneic BMT. Hence, to our knowledge, it is the first report of simultaneous GVL and graft-versus-tumour after RIC allogeneic BMT, showing clearly the graft-versus-malignancy potential of allogeneic BMT following attenuated regimen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Pédiatrie B et Unité Bioclinique de Thérapie Cellulaire, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    A Marabelle, C Paillard, P Halle, F Deméocq & J Kanold

  2. Faculté de Médecine, Université Clermont1, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    A Marabelle, A Tchirkov, P Halle, F Deméocq & J Kanold

  3. INSERM, CIC501, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    A Marabelle, C Paillard, P Halle, F Deméocq & J Kanold

  4. Laboratoire d'immunologie, Centre Jean Perrin, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    A Tchirkov & J Chassagne

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  1. A Marabelle
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  2. C Paillard
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  6. F Deméocq
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  7. J Kanold
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Correspondence to A Marabelle.

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Marabelle, A., Paillard, C., Tchirkov, A. et al. Graft-versus-tumour effect in refractory metastatic neuroblastoma. Bone Marrow Transplant 39, 809–810 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705681

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