Health Conditions
Cancer: Acute Leukemia
There are over 100 different types of cancer, however, they are typically categorized by where they originate in your body and what tissues they affect. In the United States, an estimated 2.1 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Leukemia is a cancer of the blood, distinguished by the rapid growth of abnormal blood cells.
Symptoms
Patients with acute leukemia can experience:
Fatigue
Fever
Night sweats
Frequent infections
Shortness of breath
Unexplained weight loss
Swollen lymph nodes
Bruising
Bleeding easily
Causes
Leukemia begins with a genetic mutation in a single bone marrow cell. Once mutated, that cell replicates uncontrollably, passing its altered DNA to every other bone marrow cell it produces. Despite significant advances in treatment, scientists have yet to determine what triggers the initial mutation in the first place.
Treatment
There are many treatments for leukemia and many patients will receive a combination of options throughout their treatment journey. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment for leukemia but other treatment options include immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplant, and T-cell therapy.
Microbiota Therapy Research
Researchers are utilizing microbiota transplant therapy for microbial restoration in acute leukemia patients who have undergone chemotherapy.
A Study of FMT in Patients with AML Allo HSCT in Recipients
Trial Locations:
University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, MN
Masonic Cancer Center – Minneapolis, MN
Trial Status: Completed
Trial Summary:
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the impact of microbial restoration on patients being treated with intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Initial findings indicate Microbiota Transplant Therapy is safe in this patient population. A phase 2, randomized, double-blind trial found the patients receiving the active MTT therapy had a lower rate of infection than the placebo group. Researchers are preparing for a third clinical trial to investigate whether FMT after an allogeneic stem cell transplant, when compared to placebo, can prevent acute Graft Versus Host disease.
For more information, visit: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03678493Gut Microbiota in Intestinal Barrier Damage in Acute Leukemia Patients Undergoing Inpatient Induction
Trial Locations:
University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, MN
Masonic Cancer Center – Minneapolis, MN
Trial Status: Completed
Trial Summary:
This trial was an observational study monitoring the length of microbial disruption after chemotherapy and rounds of antibiotics for cancer treatment. Researchers found that microbial communities were “stressed beyond its ability to recover”, even after antibiotics treatments ended.
For more information, visit: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03316456
To read the study publication, visit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35192686/Dysbiosis patterns during re-induction/salvage versus induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia
Trial Locations:
University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, MN
Masonic Cancer Center – Minneapolis, MN
Trial Status: Completed
Trial Summary:
Researchers tracked the microbial communities of patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy for Acute leukemia and monitored the impact on the diversity of the gut microbiome. Investigators followed two groups of patients, those completing their first induction of chemotherapy and those undergoing repeat therapy. The study found “larger departures of microbial communities from the pre-chemotherapy baseline during repeat therapy compared to first induction.”
To read the study publication, visit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30988420/
Research Alerts