Gamma Delta T Cells in AML

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving patient experience; this research is being undertaken to try to develop a novel treatment for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). Researchers aim to develop a new therapy which uses a patient's own immune cells called T cells to treat AML. In this study, numbers and properties of T cells which can be collected from the blood of patients with AML at various points throughout their treatment will be investigated. Blood samples will be collected at the same time as the patient's bone marrow test.

If patients need further bone marrow tests during their course of treatment to assess the status of disease, the research team would ask that additional samples are taken at the same time as the bone marrow and blood will be collected at the same time as the routine blood draw.

Following collection of blood samples, they will be used to purify a population of blood cells called Gamma Delta T cells which have been shown to have a potential role in control of cancers. In addition the researchers plan to determine whether it is possible to put a novel receptor called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to potentially directly target leukaemia cells. Currently this is only an exploratory study and none of the samples collected will be used for treatment and is only to assess whether or not this strategy is feasible. This may however lead on to studies in the future looking at the safety and effectiveness of this strategy. This hopefully will lead in the future to improvements in treatment and outcome for patients with AML.

If patients need further bone marrow tests during their course of treatment to assess the status of disease, the research team would ask that additional samples are taken at the same time as the bone marrow and blood will be collected at the same time as the routine blood draw.

Following collection of blood samples, they will be used to purify a population of blood cells called Gamma Delta T cells which have been shown to have a potential role in control of cancers. In addition the researchers plan to determine whether it is possible to put a novel receptor called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to potentially directly target leukaemia cells. Currently this is only an exploratory study and none of the samples collected will be used for treatment and is only to assess whether or not this strategy is feasible. This may however lead on to studies in the future looking at the safety and effectiveness of this strategy. This hopefully will lead in the future to improvements in treatment and outcome for patients with AML.


Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients over the age of 18 at time of diagnosis or at time of relapse of disease
2. Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (excluding M3) at presentation, remission or with refractory or relapsed disease.
3. Patients must have given informed written consent to participate in this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Uncontrolled systemic infection
2. Currently receiving corticosteroids or other immune-suppressants treatment (except in cases where the patient is receiving treatment with replacement doses for adrenal insufficiency)
3. Treatment with bisphosphonates, for instance zoledronate, in the previous 3 months or throughout the trial
4. Active, known or suspected autoimmune disease such as Ulcerative Colitis / Inflammatory bowel disease, Addison's disease
5. Pregnancy or lactation before or during the study
6. Substance abuse, medical, psychological or social conditions that may interfere with the subject's participation in the study
7. Patients with active Hepatitis B, C or HIV will be excluded from this study