CONTAMINATION OF APHERESIS PRODUCTS BY TU MOR-CELLS - A STUDY OF 39 BREAST CANCERS

The purpose of the present study was the detection of tumor cells in a phereses after mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) wit h G-CSF from 39 breast cancer patients. Circulating tumor cells were s earched using sensitive immunocytochemical technique (APAAP) with thre e anticytokeratin monoclonal antibodies. Counting of mononuclear cells and CD34 progenitor cells war also performed. Circulating tumor cells were detected in 35% of the patients. Cytokeratin-positive cells were detected in 45% of the patients of the metastatic group compared with 20% of the non metastatic one. Aphereses contamination was not correl ated with lymph node involvement. Numbers of mononuclear cells and CD3 4 cells were not significantly different in positive and negative PBSC s collections. In our study, presence of tumor cells war associated wi th advanced clinical stage and could not be related to a higher CD34 c ells mobilization by G-CSF.