Cord Blood Transplant Patient Gets Acute Leukemia, Apparently from Donor

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February 16, 2006

Donor cell-derived acute leukemia occurred following umbilical cord

blood transplantation

By

NewsRx.com

A case of donor cell-derived acute leukemia occurred following

umbilical cord blood transplantation.

According to a recent report from the United States, " Donor cell

leukemia is a rare complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem

cell transplantation. A 12-month-old boy underwent unrelated donor

umbilical cord blood transplant (UCBT) for refractory Langerhan's

cell histiocytosis. Forty months after transplantation, he developed

acute myeloid leukemia.

" Cytogenetic and molecular analysis confirmed donor cell origin. The

Cord Blood Bank (CBB) contacted the donor's family and established

that the child, now 7 years old, was healthy, " the authors said.

" This represents the first reported case of donor cell leukemia

following UCBT, " wrote C.J. Fraser and colleagues at the University

of Minnesota.

Investigators concluded, " This case illustrates that donor cell

leukemia is a rare but real event after UCBT as with other stem cell

sources and highlights the need for CBBs to maintain linkage data

between donors and recipients. "

Fraser and colleagues published their study in Blood (First report of

donor cell-derived acute leukemia as a complication of umbilical cord

blood transplantation. Blood, 2005;106(13):4377-4380).

For additional information, contact C.J. Fraser, University of

Minnesota, Dept. Pediatrics, Pediatrics Blood & Marrow Transplant

Program, Division Hematology Oncology & Blood & Marrow

Transplantation, 420 Delaware St. SE, Mayo Mail Code 484, Rm D-557,

Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Publisher contact information for the journal Blood is: American

Society Hematology, 1900 M Street. NW Suite 200, Washington, DC

20036, USA.

Keywords: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, Langerhan Cell

Histiocytosis, Donor Cell-Derived Acute Leukemia, Umbilical Cord

Blood Transplantation, Rare Complication, Stem Cell Source. This

article was prepared by Blood Weekly editors from staff and other

reports. Copyright 2006, Blood Weekly via NewsRx.com.

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