High dose chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) and daily infusion of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for malignant tumors in adults

Fourteen adult patients with resistant malignant tumors (3 with malignant lymphoma, 3 with acute lymphocytic leukemia, 5 with recurrent breast cancer and 3 with germ cell tumor) received high dose chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) and daily infusion of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). All the 14 patients showed bone marrow engraftment. Median neutrophilic recovery over 500/cmm was 12 days after ABMT, and no life-threatening infection occurred during neutropenic period. As compared with literature controls of high dose chemotherapy followed by ABMT not using G-CSF in Western countries, our results showed earlier recovery of neutrophils. It is suggested that G-CSF may shorten neutropenic period after ABMT. Non-hematologic regimen-related toxicities were under control. No therapy-related death was observed. Disease oriented, multicenter phase II studies of high dose chemotherapy followed by ABMT and daily infusion of G-CSF are ongoing.