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Increased lymphoblast-like cells following umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation do not predict recurrent acute leukemia

Leukemia volume 16, pages 2171–2172 (2002)Cite this article

Transplantation of umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells is now considered by many to be as effective as that of bone marrow stem cells for children and some adults.1,2 We have observed that following such procedures, the marrow may show immature, lymphoblast-like cells that may cause concern for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here we describe 14 such cases following UCB stem cell transplant for ALL (seven) and various other malignant (six) and non-malignant (one) diseases.

During routine follow-up of a pediatric patient who had a history of precursor B lymphoblastic leukemia, serial marrow aspirate smears at 10, 10.5 and 11 months post-UCB stem cell transplant showed an increasing proportion (7%, 9% and 12%, respectively) of atypical, TdT-positive lymphoblast-like cells. Because of their morphologic resemblance to lymphoblasts, these cells gave rise to concern of relapsed leukemia. However, molecular engraftment and cytogenetic studies performed on all three specimens pointed to 100% engraftment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    DH McKenna, C Rupp, R McGlennen, B Hirsch, M Dolan, S Burger, M Hanson, W Jaszcz & PL Nguyen

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    J Wagner

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  1. DH McKenna
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  2. C Rupp
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  3. J Wagner
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  4. R McGlennen
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  5. B Hirsch
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  6. M Dolan
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  7. S Burger
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  8. M Hanson
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  9. W Jaszcz
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  10. PL Nguyen
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McKenna, D., Rupp, C., Wagner, J. et al. Increased lymphoblast-like cells following umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation do not predict recurrent acute leukemia. Leukemia 16, 2171–2172 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2402603

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2402603

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