Major Advances in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Presented At Annual ASH Meeting

Major advances in transplant techniques, strategies, and technologies involving Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC) were presented at the 55th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.

Stem cells are special cells in the body that can differentiate into a higher form of cells such as cell tissues and organs. There are different types of stem cells that are associated with a biological system such as heart stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells are cells that can differentiate into any type of cell regardless of origin.

Hematopoietic stem cells are stem cells that comes from the bone marrow and in infants, in the umbilical cord blood, in an embryo or in peripheral blood in the human body. These stem cells can differentiate into many different types of blood cells such as erythrocytes, basophils, neutrophils and B-lymphocytes. Hematopoietic stem cells can also stop proliferating when it is unneeded.

HSCs (Hematopoietic Stem Cells) are used in treating blood based diseases such as lymphoma and leukemia. HSCs are transplanted to a patient after radiation therapy or chemotherapy to help the patient in recovering from the treatment. These cells either come from a matching donor ,a bone marrow transplant or harvesting the cells from the patient before the treatment

The studies presented advances in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) has addressed risks involving the procedure such as donor blood rejection and regression.

Presentations during the annual meeting include:

• Encouraging Outcomes in Older Patients (Pts) Following Nonmyeloablative (NMA) Haploidentical Blood or Marrow Transplantation (haploBMT) With High-Dose Posttransplantation Cyclophosphamide (PT/Cy)
• Equality of Access to Transplant for Ethnic Minority Patients Through Use of Cord Blood and Haploidentical Transplants
• Full-Intensity Transplantation and Short Telomeres Increase the Risk of Cognitive Impairment After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) – Results of a Prospective Longitudinal Study
• Donor-Derived Anti-CD19 Chimeric-Antigen-Receptor-Expressing T Cells Cause Regression of Malignancy Persisting After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

These are summarized below. Links to the individual presentations can be found in the Related Links section.

Possible Treatment of Leukemia Using Monoclonal Antibodies To Target and Destroy Leukemia Cells

Leukemia Cells

Researchers have identified an antibody that specifically targets and destroys leukemia cells while ignoring normal blood cells.

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. The disease causes an abnormal increase of white blood cells and causes abnormalities in the blood, the bone marrow and the lymphoid system.

Leukemia starts in the bone marrow where blood cells are produced.

The abnormal white blood cells grow faster than normal cells and does not stop growing. Over time, these leukemia cells start to crowd out the normal blood cells which results in complications such as anemia (a decrease in the number of red blood cells), bleeding, and infections. Leukemia cells can also spread to the lymph nodes or other organs and cause swelling or pain.

10% of leukemia affect newly born babies known as Infant Leukemia.

On a related note, another possible treatment for leukemia has been discovered. Memorial Sloan-Kettering researchers modified an anti-body cell with a virus that enabled it to also target and kill leukemia cells. In a clinical trial, a patient was found to be free of leukemia cells after only eight days of treatment (see embedded video).

Searching for the Cause of Infant Leukemia

Leukemia is a type of cancer affecting the blood or bone marrow. It is characterized by an abnormal increase of white blood cells and abnormalities in the blood, the bone marrow and the lymphoid system, which are all known as hematological neoplasms.

10% of leukemia affect newly born babies; Infant Leukemia.

Aside from cell and DNA mutations that causes cancer, the cause of infant leukemia or leukemia in general is a mystery. There is good news though, medical breakthroughs such as stem cell transplantation and medicine (see video below) are showing positive gains towards a cure and treatment for the disease.

The British Journal of Cancer published a study by the Division of Pediatric Epidemiology and Clinical Research at the University of Minnesota regarding the use of analgesic by mothers during pregnancy. They want to find out if it is a factor in infant leukemia. The Children's Oncology Group study concluded that "overall, analgesic use during pregnancy was not significantly associated with the risk of infant leukemia..."

Another study also published in The British Journal of Cancer looked into the socioeconomic status of the affected families in England and Wales between 1976 and 2005. By using data from the census appropriate to the decade (1976-2005), the socioeconomic status for each case was measured. They found that childhood leukemia incidence seems to be higher in relatively affluent communities. They conclude that, "Possible explanations include under diagnosis of leukaemia in children from poorer communities, and/or association of higher SES (socioeconomic status) with hypothesised risk factors, such as population mixing and delayed exposure to infection..."

Video: Killing Leukemia: Full recovery real for kids in Russia

As it is, the cause of infant leukemia is still unknown. But a team of scientists in Spain may have found a significant factor towards a cure or treatment for the disease. The Grupo Español de Trasplante de Médula Ósea en Niños at the Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla published a study on stem cell transplantation (SCT).

They studied 26 infants who were submitted to a stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia. And from their study, they conclude that "SCT is a valid option in the treatment of infant acute leukemia, and it may overcome the high risk of relapse with conventional chemotherapy showing very reduced toxicity. This study suggests that SCT should be performed in CR1 in the early phase of the disease..."

CR1 means The first Complete Response.

In Russia, Russia Today reports a medical breakthrough where 70 per cent of young sufferers of leukemia now make a full recovery. This claim is still being studied.