Successful allogeneic cryopreserved marrow transplantation

Abstract

Cryopreservation has been used extensively in autologous marrow transplantation (BMT), but there has been limited use in allogeneic BMT. We describe here 6 cases of successful engraftment following allogeneic BMT with cryopreserved marrow. Patients suffered from Wiscott‐Aldrich syndrome, osteopetrosis, aplastic anemia, and acute lymphocytic, acute non‐lymphocytic, and chronic myelogenous leukemia, and ranged in age from 5 mos to 35 yrs. Marrow was collected using standard techniques. In one case T‐cells were removed to prevent graft‐vs‐host disease. Marrow was frozen for a variety of reasons. Buffy coat cells were frozen at controlled rate in 10% DMSO, and stored in liquid nitrogen for 6 to 49 d. Engraftment (WBC > 1000/uL × 3 d) occurred from 13 to 37 d post BMT. In 4 of 4 cases in which data are available, donor origin of engraftment was documented, 1 with cytogenetics, 2 with red cell typing, and 4 with restriction fragment length polymorphisms. 3 patients are alive and well 21, 21, and 42 months post BMT. These results suggest frozen marrow can be successfully used for allogeneic BMT