Orietta Spinelli
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, Italy.
Manuela Tosi
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, Italy.
Barbara Peruta
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, Italy.
Marie Lorena Guinea Montalvo
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, Italy.
Elena Maino
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Ospedale dell’Angelo e SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Mestre-Venezia, Italy, Italy.
Anna Maria Scattolin
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Ospedale dell’Angelo e SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Mestre-Venezia, Italy, Italy.
Margherita Parolini
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, Italy.
Piera Viero
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Ospedale dell’Angelo e SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Mestre-Venezia, Italy, Italy.
Alessandro Rambaldi
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, Italy.
Renato Bassan
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Ospedale dell’Angelo e SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Mestre-Venezia, Italy, .
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is curable in about 40-50% of adult patients, however this is subject to ample variations owing to several host- and disease-related prognostic characteristics. Currently, the study of minimal residual disease (MRD) following induction and early consolidation therapy stands out as the most sensitive individual prognostic marker to define the risk of relapse following the achievement of remission, and ultimately that of treatment failure or success. Because substantial therapeutic advancement is now being achieved using intensified pediatric-type regimens, MRD analysis is especially useful to orientate stem cell transplantation choices. These strategic innovations are progressively leading to greater than 50% cure rates.