If MRD-Negative, is Stem Cell Transplant Still Needed for MCL?

Discover how minimal residual disease (MRD) testing is reshaping treatment decisions for people with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). 

The Changing Landscape of MCL Treatments

Traditionally, people with MCL have undergone chemotherapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplant to help control the cancer. However, emerging therapies like BTK inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy may offer comparable effectiveness. This shift raises an important question: Are stem cell transplants still necessary—especially for patients who achieve MRD-negativity after their first treatment?

MRD testing is a highly sensitive method that detects as little as one cancer cell per million cells in a sample. If a patient tests MRD-negative, it suggests that their cancer is undetectable at an ultra-low level, potentially eliminating the need for a transplant.

Omitting Transplant for MRD-Negative MCL Patients

According to a recent press release from the American Society of Hematology (ASH), MCL patients who achieve MRD-negativity may not need a stem cell transplant or the high-dose chemotherapy typically used for transplant preparation.

The conclusion comes from a study involving 516 MCL patients who tested MRD-negative after their initial treatment. These patients were randomly assigned to two groups:

• One group proceeded with a stem cell transplant followed by three years of rituximab maintenance therapy
• The other group skipped the transplant and received only rituximab maintenance for three years

Key findings included: 

The lead author of this study, Dr. Fenske of the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee commented, “I think these results will make physicians comfortable omitting the transplant in patients who are MRD-negative; in the current treatment landscape for MCL, we can achieve good outcomes for these patients without the high-dose chemotherapy and transplant. For patients who remain MRD-positive following induction, we would consider offering transplant.” … “A stem cell transplant can be a hard process for patients to get through," said Dr. Fenske, noting that the side effects can last for months, and the potential complications of the procedure can be especially risky for older people. "If we can avoid that piece and still have similar outcomes, that would really be a nice step forward." 

Conclusion: Good News for People with MCL 

These findings highlight the potential of MRD testing to reshape MCL treatment by allowing patients who achieve MRD-negativity to forgo autologous stem cell transplants without compromising outcomes. 

With comparable survival and remission rates between transplant and non-transplant groups, MRD testing serves as a valuable tool for personalized treatment. As research advances, this shift could lead to more tailored therapies, improving both quality of life and long-term prognosis for individuals with MCL. 

Continue Reading MCL News

Sources: 

• Stem Cell Transplant Offers No Additional Benefit for Patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma in Deep Remission
• Lack of Benefit of Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (auto-HCT) in Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) Patients (pts) in First Complete Remission (CR) with Undetectable Minimal Residual Disease (uMRD): Initial Report from the ECOG-ACRIN EA4151 Phase 3 Randomized Trial