Frontiers in Medicine (Mar 2022)

Controversial Flow Cytometry Monitoring of a Relapse Case of Pediatric T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case Report

  • Delia Codruţa Popa,
  • Delia Codruţa Popa,
  • Andreea Şerbănică,
  • Andreea Şerbănică,
  • Radu Obrisca,
  • Ionut Şerbănică,
  • Letiţia Radu,
  • Letiţia Radu,
  • Cristina Jercan,
  • Cristina Jercan,
  • Andra Marcu,
  • Andra Marcu,
  • Ana Bica,
  • Minodora Asan,
  • Mădălina Petran,
  • Mădălina Petran,
  • Mihaela Dragomir,
  • Cerasela Jardan,
  • Cerasela Jardan,
  • Valeria Ţică,
  • Anca Gheorghe,
  • Irina Stoian,
  • Daniel Coriu,
  • Daniel Coriu,
  • Anca Coliţă,
  • Anca Coliţă,
  • Andrei Coliţă,
  • Andrei Coliţă

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.858809
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent childhood cancer, with 80–85% represented by B cell ALL and only 15% by T cell ALL. T Cell ALL (T-ALL) carries a more reserved prognosis compared to B Cell ALL (B-ALL) with regard to response to treatment, risk of relapse, and overall survival. Progress made in current monitoring protocols such as via flow cytometry immunophenotyping (FCM) and by PCR-based amplification of antigen-receptor genes led to improved management of patients with ALL and superior rates of survival. Nevertheless, challenges remain in some clinical cases. This manuscript describes a unique case of T-ALL and raises awareness of such clinical challenges. The article presents an overview of the flow cytometry immunophenotyping at diagnosis and during treatment of a pediatric patient with T-ALL from Fundeni Clinical Institute. In this case, in spite of various therapeutic measures such as first-line chemotherapy for high risk group, salvage chemotherapy (FLAG), conditioning regimen (FLU-BU-TT-ATG), and stem cell transplant, a chemoresistance clone continued to be present.

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