Hypogammaglobulinemia in Children Receiving Targeted Immunotherapies for B Lineage Malignancies: Practical Guidance

Adrienne H Long1, Catherine Aftandilian1, Sara Barmettler2

  • 1Division of Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.

PubMed

Hypogammaglobulinemia is a well-defined risk factor for infection. B-cell-directed immunotherapies given in addition to conventional chemotherapy are now core elements of effective therapy for children with B lymphoid malignancies. These therapies are associated with depletion of normal B cells and consequent hypogammaglobulinemia. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the mechanism, incidence, and clinical outcomes related to hypogammaglobulinemia in children with mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, as well as provides practical guidance for laboratory monitoring and considerations for immunoglobulin replacement therapy.

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