PERIPHERAL-BLOOD PROGENITOR-CELL COLLECTIONS IN MULTIPLE-MYELOMA - PREDICTORS AND MANAGEMENT OF INADEQUATE COLLECTIONS

Thirty-seven patients with previously treated multiple myeloma (MM) un derwent peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) collection following h igh-dose cyclophosphamide and GM-CSF or sequential IL-3 and GM-CSF. Pa tients with an inadequate collection were considered for a second or t hird collection. 25 patients underwent subsequent autotransplant. The only variable predictive of CFU-GM yield was the extent of prior melph alan therapy. All repeat collections were unsuccessful and patients in fused with an autograft obtained from multiple sets of collections had a high incidence of delayed engraftment. We conclude that melphalan s hould be avoided or PBPC collection performed early in the disease cou rse in patients who are potential transplant candidates.