Feasibility of peripheral blood stem cell rescue as intensification in elderly patients with acute myelocytic leukaemia: a pilot study from the Gimema Group

Elderly patients with untreated acute myeloid leukaemia (AML, n = 47) teste d the feasibility of out-patient consolidation therapy and post-consolidati on treatment (for patients aged < 71 years) with autologous peripheral bloo d stem cell transplantation (APBSCT). Overall, 13 patients out of 24 (51%) who achieved complete remission (CR) were eligible for further treatment af ter consolidation. Five patients were primed with granulocyte colony stimul ating factor (G-CSF); a suitable number of CD34(+) cells were harvested in three patients and were actually autotransplanted. The toxicity of APBSCT w as negligible, Psychosocial problems impaired treatment: of some patients o n an out-patient basis. Resistant disease, toxicity and logistic problems r educed the number of patients to whom this procedure could actually be appl ied.