Rescue of haemopoiesis by a combination of growth factors including stem-cell factor

We observed an unexpectedly rapid rise in platelet counts with complete hae matological recovery after a BEAM regimen, in a patient who could not be re scued by autologous transplant but who received filgrastim, epoetin alfa, a nd ancestim. We feel that these results may be attributed to this specific growth factor combination, including ancestim, a cytokine known to act on p rimitive stem cells. If confirmed, this observation may open new possibilit ies in intensive chemotherapy for patients for whom haematopoietic progenit ors are difficult to harvest. This may also represent an alternative to ex- vivo expansion and deserves further investigation.