PHILADELPHIA-CHROMOSOME-NEGATIVE PERIPHERAL-BLOOD STEM-CELLS CAN BE MOBILIZED IN THE EARLY PHASE OF RECOVERY AFTER A MYELOSUPPRESSIVE CHEMOTHERAPY IN PHILADELPHIA-CHROMOSOME-POSITIVE ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA
Am. Carella et al., PHILADELPHIA-CHROMOSOME-NEGATIVE PERIPHERAL-BLOOD STEM-CELLS CAN BE MOBILIZED IN THE EARLY PHASE OF RECOVERY AFTER A MYELOSUPPRESSIVE CHEMOTHERAPY IN PHILADELPHIA-CHROMOSOME-POSITIVE ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA, British Journal of Haematology, 89(3), 1995, pp. 535-538
Ten patients in first or second relapse with Philadelphia chromosome a
cute lymphoblastic leukaemia, ineligible for allogeneic sibling marrow
transplantation, were treated with an intensive chemotherapy regimen
including idarubicin, intermediate-dose arabinosylcytosine, etoposide
and G-CSF. Peripheral blood stem cells were collected by leukapheresis
during initial early WBC recovery from chemotherapy-induced aplasia.
In 5/10 patients all metaphases in leukapheresis products were found t
o be Philadelphia-chromosome-negative and they have been used as autot
ransplants after conditioning with TBI/etoposide/cyclophosphamide (or
idarubicin) and G-CSF. All five patients showed sustained engraftment
and one of them is alive and well Philadelphia-chromosome-negative 18
months after transplant. These preliminary results suggest that it is
possible to recover Philadelphia-chromosome-negative blood stem cells
after intensive chemotherapy, even in advanced patients, and to perfor
m autografting with these cells.