Performance of Next Generation Sequencing for Minimal Residual Disease Detection for Pediatric Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Results from the Prospective Clinical Trial DFCI 16-001

Introduction: Assessment of minimal residual disease (MRD) in a sensitive and timely manner is an essential component of risk stratification in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Next generation sequencing (NGS) assays utilize unique genetic sequences created by VDJ rearrangements in leukemia cells to detect MRD at the level of 1 leukemic cell in 1 million cells (Wood et al., 2018). Here we report our experience using NGS MRD for risk group assignment of children and adolescents with newly diagnosed ALL enrolled on the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) ALL Consortium Protocol 16-001.