B-cell precursors (BCP) regeneration in bone marrow (BM) after induction chemotherapy is prognostic for good treatment response in adult acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We detected BCP regeneration in 81% of 59 paediatric AML patients at first complete remission; this compared to 46% in an adult study. BCP regeneration did not correlate with outcome or minimal residual disease levels. In 36 healthy BM controls, BCP levels were significantly higher in children as compared to adults. Therefore, BCP regeneration does not reflect good response to treatment in paediatric AML, possibly due to the relatively high base-line levels of BCP in children.

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doi.org/10.1111/bjh.12329, hdl.handle.net/1765/39937
British Journal of Haematology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Bras, A., van den Heuvel-Eibrink, M., van der Sluijs-Gelling, A., Coenen, E., Wind, H., Zwaan, M., … van der Velden, V. (2013). No significant prognostic value of normal precursor B-cell regeneration in paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia after induction treatment. British Journal of Haematology, 161(6), 861–864. doi:10.1111/bjh.12329