The process of identifying which patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can benefit from allogeneic stem cell transplantation in first complete remission (CR1) has taken a step forward thanks to analysis of the UK NCRI AML17 and AML19 studies, reported at the 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Patients who achieved molecular residual disease (MRD) negativity in their peripheral blood were at low risk of relapse, and had no benefit from allogeneic transplant in CR1, including those with the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) internal tandem duplication mutation of the NPM1 (nucleophosmin 1) gene, that is generally considered to be a marker of poor risk.

Peter Goodwin spoke with Jad Othman, MBBS, from King's College London and the Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, and now based at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia. Othman explained how testing for the FLT3 mutation of the NPM1 gene can be used along with assessment of molecular MRD to help choose patients who can benefit from transplant and spare those for whom the risk/benefit ratio is adverse.