PERIPHERAL-BLOOD STEM-CELL SUPPORT DOES NOT ACCELERATE HEMATOPOIETIC RECOVERY FROM MINIBEAM CHEMOTHERAPY

Intermediate-dose salvage therapy is frequently given for relapsed and resistant lymphomas and is usually intensely myelosuppressive, In an attempt to reduce the haematological toxicity of miniBEAM, one of the commonly used salvage regimens, peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) supp ort was given to 21 consecutive patients who received miniBEAM chemoth erapy, The outcome was compared with a non-randomised control group of consecutive patients who were similar to the supported group apart fr om the fact that it was not possible to collect PBSC before miniBEAM t herapy, Apart from a small, marginally significant difference between the supported and unsupported groups in the number of days for which i ntravenous antibiotics were required, there were no other differences between the two groups in supportive care required and times to haemat ological recovery, In conclusion, PBSC support does not accelerate hae matological recovery from miniBEAM therapy.