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Original Article
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Volume 344:175-181 January 18, 2001 Number 3
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Transplantation of Bone Marrow as Compared with Peripheral-Blood Cells from HLA-Identical Relatives in Patients with Hematologic Cancers
William I. Bensinger, M.D., Paul J. Martin, M.D., Barry Storer, Ph.D., Reginald Clift, F.I.M.L.S., Steven J. Forman, M.D., Robert Negrin, M.D., Ashwin Kashyap, M.D., Mary E.D. Flowers, M.D., Kathy Lilleby, R.N., Thomas R. Chauncey, M.D., Rainer Storb, M.D., and Frederick R. Appelbaum, M.D.

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ABSTRACT

Background In recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplants, peripheral-blood cells mobilized with the use of filgrastim (recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) engraft more rapidly than bone marrow. However, the relative effects of these techniques on the rates of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, overall survival, and disease-free survival have not been determined in randomized studies.

Methods Between March 1996 and July 1999, 172 patients (12 to 55 years of age) with hematologic cancer were randomly assigned to receive either bone marrow or filgrastim-mobilized peripheral-blood cells from HLA-identical relatives for hematopoietic rescue after the treatment of hematologic cancer with high doses of chemotherapy, with or without radiation.

Results The recovery of both neutrophils and platelets was faster with peripheral-blood cells than with marrow (P<0.001 for both comparisons). The cumulative incidence of grade II, III, or IV acute graft-versus-host disease at 100 days was 64 percent with peripheral-blood cells and 57 percent with marrow (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.81 to 1.81; P=0.35). The cumulative incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease was 46 percent with peripheral-blood cells and 35 percent with marrow (hazard ratio, 1.16; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.71 to 1.90; P= 0.54). The estimated overall probability of survival at two years was 66 percent with peripheral-blood cells and 54 percent with marrow (hazard ratio for death, 0.62; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.38 to 1.02; P= 0.06). The rate of disease-free survival at two years was 65 percent with peripheral-blood cells and 45 percent with marrow (hazard ratio for relapse or death, 0.60; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.38 to 0.95; P=0.03).

Conclusions In patients given high-dose chemotherapy, with or without radiation, for the treatment of hematologic cancer, allogeneic peripheral-blood cells used for hematopoietic rescue restore blood counts faster than allogeneic bone marrow, without increasing the risk of graft-versus-host disease.


Source Information

From the Clinical Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (W.I.B., P.J.M., B.S., R.C., M.E.D.F., K.L., T.R.C., R.S., F.R.A.); the Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle (W.I.B., P.J.M., B.S., M.E.D.F., T.R.C., R.S., F.R.A.); the Divisions of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, Calif. (S.J.F., A.K.); and the Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. (R.N.). Other authors were Scott Rowley, M.D., and Shelly Heimfeld, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington, Seattle; and Karl Blume, M.D., Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Bensinger at the Division of Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109, or at wbensing{at}fhcrc.org.

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