Efficacy of first-line bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin chemotherapy for peripheral blood stem cell mobilization in patients with germ cell cancer

We assessed the efficacy of first-line bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) chemotherapy for the mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) in patients with testicular cancer, and analyzed the predictive factors indicating the optimal time of PBSC harvest. A total of 29 aphereses, performed during first-line BEP chemotherapy between 1994 and 1996 for 10 patients with metastatic germ cell cancer were analyzed. The predictive value for the optimal time of PBSC harvest was determined by analysis of the correlation between the rate of each cellular component in peripheral blood, and the number of CD34-positive cells harvested. The median number of CD34-positive cells obtained at a single apheresis was 11.2×10^sup 6^/kg (range, 0.14 to 47.9×10^sup 6^/kg), and the median cumulative number of CD34-positive cells collected during first-line BEP chemotherapy per patient was 31.9×10^sup 6^/kg (range, 9.7 to 75.5×10^sup 6^/kg). The percentage of immature leukocytes (myelocytes plus metamyelocytes) was significantly correlated with the number of harvested CD34-positive cells. Adequate amounts of CD34-positive cells can be harvested during first-line BEP chemotherapy for patients with germ cell cancer. The monitoring of the percentage of immature leukocytes might be useful in ascertaining the optimal time of apheresis.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]