Despite the fact that allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a potentially curative therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the relapse of the disease remains the major cause of treatment failure in these patients with a dismal prognosis. Since the 1960s, chemotherapy has remained a cornerstone of AML treatment. In recent years, advances in AML genomic and epigenomic characterization have contributed to a better understanding of leukemia occurrence, which has resulted in a number of novel targeted therapies being developed and approved.
The ability of allo-HSCT to eradicate AML is significantly associated with the transfer of a wide repertoire of T cells from the donor to the patient. However, for patients with a high tumor burden or genetically high risk, the recurrence rate after allo-HSCT is still high. Several causes of post-allo-HSCT relapse have been recognized, including HLA-loss, downregulation of HLA class II molecules, and upregulation of immune checkpoints. However, the current understanding of the mechanism of recurrence after allo-HSCT still needs to be further improved.
The clinical application of immunomodulatory agents has brought more options to the treatment of AML patients. These therapies include modified chemotherapies, pro-apoptotic agents, hypomethylating agents, and targeted therapies (e.g. mutationally targeted inhibitors, antibody-based drugs, CAR-T cells, etc.). These strategies are being explored and will change treatment options for post-transplant relapsed leukemia.
This Research Topic seeks to cover new developments in the field of the novel mechanisms and strategies to overcome relapse after allo-HSCT. We welcome Original Research, Review/Mini Review, Clinical Trial, Case Report, Opinion, and Commentary articles focusing on, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Novel strategies to treat or prophylaxis relapse after allo-HSCT in clinical or animal model
• Mechanisms or strategies for reducing GvHD but preserving GvL
• Novel strategies and mechanisms to reduce the recurrence rate of allo-HSCT
• New understanding of mechanisms of relapse after allo-HSCT, whether on immune recognition, bone marrow microenvironment, or tumor endogenous
• Safety and efficacy of novel therapies in post-transplant patients (e.g. immune checkpoints blockade, CAR-T therapy, etc.)
• Novel strategy and mechanism to predict the recurrence of leukemia after allo-HSCT
• Preclinical studies about novel strategies for hematological malignancies and the potential for patients who relapse after allo-HSCT, (e.g. immune checkpoints blockade, CAR-T therapy, CAR-NK, antibody-based therapy, etc.)
Despite the fact that allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a potentially curative therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the relapse of the disease remains the major cause of treatment failure in these patients with a dismal prognosis. Since the 1960s, chemotherapy has remained a cornerstone of AML treatment. In recent years, advances in AML genomic and epigenomic characterization have contributed to a better understanding of leukemia occurrence, which has resulted in a number of novel targeted therapies being developed and approved.
The ability of allo-HSCT to eradicate AML is significantly associated with the transfer of a wide repertoire of T cells from the donor to the patient. However, for patients with a high tumor burden or genetically high risk, the recurrence rate after allo-HSCT is still high. Several causes of post-allo-HSCT relapse have been recognized, including HLA-loss, downregulation of HLA class II molecules, and upregulation of immune checkpoints. However, the current understanding of the mechanism of recurrence after allo-HSCT still needs to be further improved.
The clinical application of immunomodulatory agents has brought more options to the treatment of AML patients. These therapies include modified chemotherapies, pro-apoptotic agents, hypomethylating agents, and targeted therapies (e.g. mutationally targeted inhibitors, antibody-based drugs, CAR-T cells, etc.). These strategies are being explored and will change treatment options for post-transplant relapsed leukemia.
This Research Topic seeks to cover new developments in the field of the novel mechanisms and strategies to overcome relapse after allo-HSCT. We welcome Original Research, Review/Mini Review, Clinical Trial, Case Report, Opinion, and Commentary articles focusing on, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Novel strategies to treat or prophylaxis relapse after allo-HSCT in clinical or animal model
• Mechanisms or strategies for reducing GvHD but preserving GvL
• Novel strategies and mechanisms to reduce the recurrence rate of allo-HSCT
• New understanding of mechanisms of relapse after allo-HSCT, whether on immune recognition, bone marrow microenvironment, or tumor endogenous
• Safety and efficacy of novel therapies in post-transplant patients (e.g. immune checkpoints blockade, CAR-T therapy, etc.)
• Novel strategy and mechanism to predict the recurrence of leukemia after allo-HSCT
• Preclinical studies about novel strategies for hematological malignancies and the potential for patients who relapse after allo-HSCT, (e.g. immune checkpoints blockade, CAR-T therapy, CAR-NK, antibody-based therapy, etc.)