Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation without cryopreservation in the acute myeloid leukemia

ABSTRACT

From 11/1997 to 8/2000, 11 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were performed autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation without cryopreservation. PBSC were mobilized by high-dose cyclophosphamide plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.When WBC count reached>5x109/l, leukapheresis was started and continued for 3 consecutive days. As soon as the third collection was finished, mephalan was given as a conditioning regimen. 24-42 hours after giving melphalan, the collected PBSC which were preserved at +40C were reinfused. Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor was given during the nardir period until the an ANC> 1x 109/l for 3 consecutive days. All the patients were engrafted with the mean no time to recover ANC> 0.5x109/l and platelet count > 20x109/l was 14 days and 33.8 days. Overall survival and disease free survival at 2 years were 77.7% and 76.1% respectively. In conclusion, autologous PBSC transplantation without cryopreservation in AML is simple and economic method which may be applied in developing countries.