Autotransplantation of peripheral blood stem cells mobilized by chemotherapy and recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor in childhood neuroblastoma and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma

Abstract

Seven children with advanced neuroblastoma and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with myeloablative chemoradiotherapy (180 mg/m² melphalan plus 12 Gy fractionated total body irradiation), followed by autotrans‐plantation of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC). Sufficient PBSC to restore bone marrow function were collected by a small number of leukaphereses during haematopoietic recovery after chemotherapy and recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (rhG‐CSF). Furthermore, rapid recovery of neutrophils was found in all patients by the administration of rhG‐CSF following transplantation: median 10 d (range 8–12) to attain more than 0.5 × 10⁹/1 neutrophils, and 27 d (range 14–73) to attain more than 50 × 10⁹/1 platelets, respectively. Haematopoietic reconstitution has been maintained throughout the follow‐up period (median 15 months; range, 6–22). Peripheral blood stem cells mobilized by chemotherapy and rhG‐CSF can induce complete haematopoietic reconstitution after myeloablative chemoradiotherapy.