Can a Transplant Using a Parent’s Stem Cells Followed by a Parent’s NK Cells Help Fight Cancer in a Child?
Haploidentical transplant, which uses donor bone marrow from a half-matched parent or sibling, has been successful in curing some cancers, including leukemia. Solving Kids’ Cancer supported this clinical trial based on prior research.
Project Title: Reduced Intensity Haploidentical Transplantation with NK Cell Infusion for Pediatric Acute Leukemia and High Risk Solid Tumors
Researcher: Kenneth DeSantes, MD
Institution: University of Wisconsin
Study Type: Phase I clinical trial
Status: Completed
Researchers have made rapid advances in understanding how to manipulate the immune system safely to destroy cancer cells. Stem cell transplants are one way to treat cancer by replacing the patient’s immune system with healthy blood and cancer fighting cells. Haploidentical transplant, which uses donor bone marrow from a half-matched parent or sibling, has been successful in curing some cancers, including leukemia. Solving Kids’ Cancer supported this clinical trial based on prior research showing that patients had significantly better survival and a very low relapse risk if the donor’s natural killer (NK) cells were activated in the patient’s system. In this trial, additional NK cells from the donor are given to the child after the stem cell transplant.
To learn more about this trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov.