RESULTS OF SINGLE AND DOUBLE AUTOGRAFTS FOR HIGH-RISK NEUROBLASTOMA PATIENTS

Although intensive therapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) has improved the outcome of advanced neuroblastoma, nearly hal f the patients with this disease still relapse after a single ABMT. In our previous study, 10 of 22 patients relapsed within 16 months post- transplantation. Predictive risk-factors for relapse were the presence of bone lesions at diagnosis, and a minor response or progressive dis ease at transplantation. In order to improve the outcome of these high -risk patients, we tested the feasibility of double autografts. To dat e, eight patients have been treated, and no treatment-related deaths w ere observed. Six remain in CR or with stable disease for 6 to 29 mont hs. Although more cases and longer observation are needed to draw conc lusions, these results are encouraging.