Mobilizatiod/Transplantation of Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cells for Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma with Marrow Involvement

Abstract

Thirty-five aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) with marrow involvement received high-dose cyclophosphamide (7 g/m²) and G-CSF in order to collect peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC). Fourteen patients were in partial remission, 16 patients were in relapse (“sensitive”, 12; “resistant”, 4) and 5 patients were in refractory to conventional treatment. A good yield of PBPC was obtained in 30 patients, while a low number of CD34⁺ cells and of CFU-GM was seen in two cases. Two patients entered progression and one patient died. Thirty patients underwent PBPC autografting. Twenty-nine out of 35 (83%) patients entered complete remission (CR). Two patients died in CR of infection following marrow aplasia 3 and 6 months after autografting. At 3 years the probability of survival and disease-free survival (DFS) are of 62% and 51% respectively.