Dr. Kebriaei on Eligibility for Stem Cell Transplant in ALL

Partow Kebriaei, MD, stem cell transplant physician, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the eligibility criteria necessary for patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia to undergo stem cell transplantation.

Patients with ALL must be minimal residual disease (MRD) negative in order to qualify for transplant, Kebriaei explains. As a patient goes beyond first remission, the likelihood of achieving MRD negativity decreases. Generally, if a patient is in remission and morphologic is adequate, then they are fit to undergo transplant, says Kebriaei.

Now, patients are being taken in for transplant after their third, fourth, or fifth line of therapy. In the past, they would not be expected to obtain response; however, now these patients are obtaining response and, therefore, can receive a transplant, concludes Kebriaei.