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Published on: May 10, 2017
Treatment of Monomorphic Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant: A
Catherine Mark1, Georgina Martin2, Bjorn Baadjes3
1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON.
Insights
Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a common childhood malignancy after organ transplant. Outcomes for monomorphic PTLD varied by PTLD subtype, with B-cell PTLD showing better survival than T/NK-cell PTLD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Hematology
- Transplant Medicine
Background:
- Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is the most frequent malignancy in pediatric transplant recipients.
- Monomorphic PTLD subtypes, particularly B-cell lymphomas, represent a significant clinical challenge.
Approach:
- A retrospective review of 55 pediatric patients diagnosed with monomorphic PTLD across three Canadian centers from 2001-2021.
- Analysis of patient demographics, PTLD subtypes, treatment strategies (including rituximab, chemotherapy regimens, and immunosuppression reduction), and clinical outcomes.
Key Points:
- B-cell PTLD (Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) comprised 87.2% of cases.
- Treatment for B-cell PTLD predominantly involved rituximab and chemotherapy, with no significant outcome difference between the two main regimens used.
- Natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma patients (9.1%) uniformly received reduced immunosuppression plus chemotherapy, but all experienced disease progression and mortality.
Conclusions:
- Projected 3-year event-free survival was 62% and 3-year overall survival was 77% for all monomorphic PTLD patients.
- Outcomes for pediatric monomorphic PTLD are significantly influenced by PTLD subtype, with T/NK-cell PTLD demonstrating a uniformly fatal course in this cohort.
Abstract:
Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is the most common posttransplant malignancy in children. We reviewed data from 3 Canadian pediatric centers to determine patient characteristics, treatment approaches, and outcomes for children with monomorphic PTLD. There were 55 eligible children diagnosed between January 2001 to December 2021. Forty-eight patients (87.2%) had B-cell PTLD: Burkitt lymphoma (n = 25; 45.4%) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 23; 41.2%), the remainder had natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (n = 5; 9.1%), Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 1;1.8%), or other (n = 1;1.8%). Thirty-nine (82.1%) patients with B-cell PTLD were treated with rituximab and chemotherapy with or without a reduction in immunosuppression (reduced immune suppression). The chemotherapy used was primarily one of 2 regimens: Mature Lymphoma B-96 protocol in 22 patients (56.4%) and low-dose cyclophosphamide with prednisone in 14 patients (35%). Most patients with T/NK-cell lymphoma were treated with reduced immune suppression + chemotherapy (n = 4; 80%). For all patients with monomorphic PTLD, the projected 3-year event-free survival/3-year overall survival was 62% and 77%, respectively. Of the patients, 100% with T/NK-cell PTLD 100% progressed or relapsed and, subsequently, died of disease. For patients with B-cell PTLD, there was no significant difference in outcome between the two main chemotherapy regimens employed.
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