Natural killer cell therapy in children with relapsed leukemia. Issue 8 (30th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rubnitz, Jeffrey E.; Inaba, Hiroto; Kang, Guolian; Gan, Kwan; Hartford, Christine; Triplett, Brandon M.; Dallas, Mari; Shook, David; Gruber, Tanja; Pui, Ching‐Hon; Leung, Wing
• Is Part Of: Pediatric blood & cancer. Volume 62:Issue 8(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 1468
• Page End: 1472
• Publication Date: 2015-04-30
• Subjects: Tumors in children -- Periodicals; Blood -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Cancer in children -- Periodicals; 618.92
• DOI: 10.1002/pbc.25555
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1545-5009

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="pbc25555-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Novel therapies are needed for children with relapsed or refractory leukemia. We therefore tested the safety and feasibility of haploidentical natural killer cell therapy in this patient population.</p> </sec> <sec id="pbc25555-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Procedure</title> <p>Twenty‐nine children who had relapsed or refractory leukemia were treated with chemotherapy followed by the infusion of haploidentical NK cells. Cohort 1 included 14 children who had not undergone prior allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), whereas Cohort 2 included 15 children with leukemia that had relapsed after HCT.</p> </sec> <sec id="pbc25555-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Twenty‐six (90%) NK donors were KIR mismatched (14 with one KIR and 12 with 2 KIRs). The peak NK chimerism levels were >10% donor in 87% of the evaluable recipients. In Cohort 1, 10 had responsive disease and 12 proceeded to HCT thereafter. Currently, 5 (36%) are alive without leukemia. In Cohort 2, 10 had responsive disease after NK therapy and successfully proceeded to second HCT. At present, 4 (27%) are alive and leukemia‐free. The NK cell infusions and the IL‐2 injections were well‐tolerated.</p> </sec> <sec id="pbc25555-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>NK cell therapy is safe, feasible, and should be further investigated in patients with chemotherapy‐resistant leukemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1468–1472. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>