Evaluation of minimal residual disease after bone marrow transplantation

Abstract

Early detection of relapse after bone marrow transplantation is essential for the success of therapeutic approaches such as donor lymphocyte infusions. In the first part of this review we discuss methods to detect minimal residual disease in patients transplanted with hematological neoplasms: conventional cytogenetics, in situ hydridization and polymerase chain reaction. In the second part, application of these methods for patients transplanted with chronic myelogenous leukemia or acute leukemias is discussed. Finally, chimerism analysis is evaluated as a method to detect minimal residual disease.