Hematopoietic reconstitution after peripheral blood stem cell autotransplantation

Seven patients with acute leukemia in adults and three pediatric patients with neuroblastoma underwent autologous transplantation following marrow-ablative chemotherapy by using peripheral blood stem cells which were collected and stored during bone marrow recovery previous to transplantation. All patients demonstrated early engraftment, especially when infusion of more than 13×104 CFU-GM/kg body weight led to higher steady neutrophil and platelet counts. Neutrophils and platelets recovered to over 500/μl and 5×104/μl with no transfusion on day 10 (range; days 9-13) and 11 (range; day 11-18), respectively. It is of interest that transient decrease of blood cell counts was experienced in 3 to 5 weeks after transplantation, but the recovery of hematopoiesis became stable thereafter. So far seven of them have been now alive in complete remission for 5.5-17 months after PBSCT. When a large number of progenitor cells are collected and reinfused, PBSCT seems to be safe and effective treatment as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation.