Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 1998, 186 (4)

Improved Survival of Children with Advanced Tumors by Myeloablative Chemotherapy and Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation in Complete Remission

ATSUSHI SATO,1 MASUE IMAIZUMI,1,2 TAKAKO SAISHO,1 TOSHIAKI SAITO,1 MIYAKO YOSHINARI,1 YAN CUI,1 HOSHIRO SUZUKI,1 YOSHITSUGU KOIZUMI,1 TSUNEO ITO,3 YOSHIHIRO TAKAI,4 YUTAKA HAYASHI,2 MAKOTO TAMURA3 and KAZUIE IINUMA1,3

1Department of Pediatrics, 2Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, 3Division of Blood Transfusion Service, and 4Department of Radiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574

  • Five children with neuroblastoma (NB) stage IV and five children with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) stage III were treated with myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (MCT/PBSCT) in the state of complete remission (CR) achieved by conventional therapy. PBSCs were collected in CR status using a cell separator with blood access through a double-lumen central venous catheter. PBSCs With 1.9±0.8×105 of CFU-GM per patient weights (kg) were infused following MCT after a period of conventional therapy for 11.1±2.1 or 9.7±0.9 months in NB or RMS patients, respectively. Regimen-related toxicity of MCT was tolerable and peripheral white blood cell count recovered beyond 1.0×103/ml 10-12 days after infusion of PBSCs in all patients. All of RMS patients and three of five NB patients survived for an average of 31.6 months (ranged 10.8-58.1). The survival rate of these patients was improved as compared with our historical controls, and presumably, with that of conventional chemotherapy previously reported. Despite a limited number of patients, it appears that MCT/PBSCT may be effective in improving survival by preventing relapse which may occur thereafter if treated with conventional therapy alone. Furthermore, MCT/PBSCT reduced the duration of treatment, as compared with that of conventional chemotherapy. Therefore, this study may suggest the feasibility and promise of the therapy including MCT/PBSCT for children with advanced stages of NB and RMS.
    Key words--- PBSCT; children; neuroblastoma; rhabdomyosarcoma; complete remission
    © 1998 Tohoku University Medical Press

    Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 1998, 186, 255-265
    Address for reprints: Masue Imaizumi, M.D., Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryomachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
    e-mail: mimaizumi@ped.med.tohoku.ac.jp

    Back to CONTENTS.