Transplantation of bone marrow as compared with peripheral-blood cells from HLA-identical relatives in patients with hematologic cancers

N Engl J Med. 2001 Jan 18;344(3):175-81. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200101183440303.

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.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation*
  • Cause of Death
  • Child
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Filgrastim
  • Graft vs Host Disease / epidemiology
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / therapeutic use
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization / methods
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Histocompatibility Testing
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Survival Analysis
  • Transplantation, Homologous

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Filgrastim