A new study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center on the possibility of recurrence of blood cancer and stem cell disease has reached remarkable results. By examining 10-second videos of white blood cells found in vessels with small diameters (microvasculature) in the skin, crucial data were obtained on the possibility of recurrence of the disease.
The study aims to get accurate results on the possibility of recurrence of blood cancer as a result of the examination initiated in the bodies of patients who are struggling with blood cancer and have undergone bone marrow transplantation. It is foreseen that this study may form the basis for many new applications in the future.
The study, reported to Jama Dermatology, was brought up the same day at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Eric Tkaczyk, a dermatologist working at Nashville VA Medical Center and director of the Vanderbilt Dermatology Translational Research Clinic, and Inga Saknite, assistant professor of Dermatology, who led the presentation, made very valuable statements.
Blood cancer prediction
It has been reported that imaging with NVI (noninvasive) videomicroscopy in blood cancer and bone marrow transplant patients was not possible before, and this is a new invention.
Tkaczyk said that a new type of biopsy, Diagnostic Optical Biopsy, could be applied thanks to this invention.
“With the special confocal microscope brought to stem cell and bone marrow transplant patients for non-invasive inspection of their skin right at the bedside,” said Tkaczyk. “This is a pilot study of just over 50 patients, it would appear to point strongly to potential clinical applications for improved patient evaluation and management. Patients found to be at high risk for relapse could, for example, be more readily referred to clinical trials”.
Credit: Anne Rayner / Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Inga Saknite, assistant professor of dermatology, said the following about the link between high numbers of white blood cells and cancer recurrence: “When we were able to turn our focus to this activity and measure it carefully in this new study, we found the association to be indeed striking”.
Allogeneic transplant patients were examined in this study. Allogeneic transplantation is the transfer of stem cells to the patient from individuals other than family members and relatives with whom the patient’s tissues are compatible. Autologous transplantation, on the other hand, is the transfer of the tissues taken from the patient and stored before the treatment and drug loading to the patient after the treatment.
The details of the work done are as follows:
56 blood cancer patients were studied. In these patients who had an allogeneic transplant, 10-second videos of the white blood cells in the skin were recorded using confocal videomicroscopy 34 to 58 days after the transplant operation.
The study group was split into 35 participants (62%) with low A&R and 21 (38%) by choosing a clinically relevant threshold for high and low adhesion or rolling rates or A&R rates of white blood cells in the microvasculature.
Patients who had undergone an allogeneic transplant were observed for 15 months, and their health data were examined. During this period, it was noted that 13 participants relapsed and 14 participants died. When 13 people with the disease were examined, it was seen that they had high A&R rates. In 8 of 9 people, recurrence of the disease was observed within 4 months after microendoscopy imaging.
As a result of this study, it is seen that the estimated recurrence and death rates after blood cancer and marrow transplantation, determined by the Disease Risk Index, which is known and used for a long time, do not give as good results as A&R.
