Combined bone marrow and peripheral blood progenitor cell autografts for patients with poor mobilization

Background aims Peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) autografts with low CD34(+) cell content provide inadequate platelet (Plt) and red blood cell (RBC) reconstitution. Repeat collection and bone marrow (BM) harvesting are used in this situation. Minimum cell contents for BM-PBPC combined grafts are undefined. Methods A retrospective analysis of 19 autologous stem cell transplants (ASCT) with combined BM-PBPC for poor initial PBPC collection was carried out. Mobilization was with filgrastim (10 mg/kg/day) alone for 5 days or after chemotherapy. BM was harvested if PBPC collections were CD34(+) <2.5 x 10(6)/kg. Results The median age was 55 years (range 19-74). The diagnoses were multiple myeloma (7), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (7), Hodgkin's disease (4) and acute myeloid leukemia (1). The median cell content (CD34(+)/kg x 10(6)) was 1.1 (0.3-2.7) for BM, 1.2 (0.04-2.8) for PBPC and 2.2 (1.4-4.9) combined. Eight grafts contained <2.0 x 10(6) CD34(+)/kg (1.4-1.8). The median engraftment in days (range) was: absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > 500,12 (9-39); Plt > 20 000, 25 (15-70); RBC transfusion independence, 17 (6-93). Six patients died of progressive disease (58-293 days post-ASCT), one of infection on day 141 and one of AML on day 11. All patients except one maintained ANC > 1000 without filgrastim support beyond day 19. One patient had cholecystitis and delayed graft failure on day 90. PBPC CD34(+) content did not predict CD34(+) BM content but correlated with ANC > 500 (r = -0.64, P = 0.003). BM and combined CD34(+) and BM TNC/kg did not correlate with engraftment or outcomes. Combined CD34(+)/kg < or > = 2.0 x 10(6) produced similar engraftment and mortality. Conclusions After a failed PBPC collection, BM harvest is a reliable option for obtaining an adequate combined autograft. Combined BM-PBPC autografts with < 2.0 x 10(6) CD34(+)/kg can produce satisfactory engraftment.