Dr. Stone on MRD in Hematologic Malignancies

Richard M. Stone, MD, director of the Adult Leukemia Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses minimal residual disease (MRD) in hematologic malignancies.

According to Stone, it makes sense to use MRD in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) where there are more data and antibody therapies. However, in other subtypes, physicians are not sure whether the patient should have a transplant or an antibody approach.

There are 2 US trials attempting to determine if an antibody therapy used earlier in the course of the disease that reduces MRD will result in better outcomes.