GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR (G-CSF)-INDUCED MOBILIZATION OFCIRCULATING HEMATOPOIETIC STEM-CELLS

We studied the utility of G-CSF for harvesting circulating haematopoie tic stem cells in patients with leukaemia or lymphoma based on a compa rative study in a single patient. Two successive cycles of leukapheres is following cytotoxic chemotherapy were performed in 22 patients as f ollows: the first cycle was performed with cytotoxic mobilization in a ll patients while the second cycle was randomized into two groups: cyt otoxic (n = 10) and cytotoxic plus G-CSF (cytotoxic/G-CSF) (n = 12) mo bilization. Repetitive cytotoxic mobilization did not alter the yields of mononuclear cells (MNC), myeloid (CFU-GM), and erythroid (BFU-E) p rogenitors. In contrast, cytotoxic/G-CSF mobilization produced signifi cantly higher yields of MNC (2.6-fold), CFU-GM (5.5-fold), and BFU-E ( 3.9-fold) than did cytotoxic mobilization alone (P<0.01). The ratio of CFU-GM to BFU-E was not affected by G-CSF. Furthermore, G-CSF led to an earlier peak of CFU-GM following chemotherapy. G-CSF is thus effect ive in expanding the pool of circulating haematopoietic progenitors.