A SAFE PROCEDURE FOR TRANSPORTING BONE-MARROW FOR PURGING IN A CENTRAL LABORATORY

A central facility for ex vivo removal of neuroblastoma cells from bon e marrow, to be used for autologous reinfusion after myeloablative tre atment, was established and a study was designed to compare the surviv al time and the rate of bone marrow engraftment between local marrows obtained and processed at the University of Florida (UF) and marrow tr ansported for purging from out of state, participating Pediatric Oncol ogy Group (FOG) centers. Marrow harvest from patients either at UF or at participating centers, was done under a similar protocol. Marrows f rom participating centers were transported by air, to UF and purged us ing the immunomagnetic technique. The purged marrows were returned in liquid nitrogen for reinfusion before myeloablative treatment. Marrows were purged between 1985 to 1992 from 169 POG patients, of whom 164 w ere evaluable for this study (UF 29 and 135 transported). Statistical analysis of survival time and engraftment rate found no significant di fferences in survival time (p=0.2463) and engraftment rate (0.3259) be tween marrows shipped from other institutions to marrows harvested and processed at UF.