Autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. The Argentine Group of Bone Marrow Transplantation (GATMO) experience.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in prolonging disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who received autografts of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) positive or Ph negative cell harvests.


METHODS
Over a 4-year period (1994-1999), 53 patients who underwent ASCT for CML were reported to the Argentine Group of Bone Marrow Transplantation (GATMO) Registry.


RESULTS
Ph negative cell products were harvested in only 18 patients (34%). Comparison of disease status at the time of autograft, duration of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, days of antibiotics, and transfusional requirements of red blood cells and platelets did not reveal statistical significant differences between the Ph positive group and the Ph negative group. Only days of hospitalization were increased significantly in patients who received Ph positive autografts. Although DFS at 36 months was significantly longer after infusion of Ph negative cell products (54% vs. 14%; P <or= 0.005), OS differences between the Ph negative group and the Ph positive group (68% vs. 53%; P <or= 0.134) were not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
ASCT with Ph negative cell harvests after myeloablative chemotherapy resulted in prolonged periods of hematologic and cytogenetic remission or stable disease after cytogenetic/molecular recurrence in some patients with CML. A superior DFS was observed without any benefit observed for OS.
Koziner
Benjamín
B
Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Instituto Argentino de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento, Buenos Aires, Argentina. bkoziner@netizen.com.ar
Dengra
Cristina
C
Lucero
Graciela
G
Klein
Graciela
G
Cánepa
Carlos
C
Milovic
Vera
V
Milone
Gustavo
G
Robinson
Anibal
A
Cerutti
Ider
I
Saporito
Graciela
G
Kusminsky
Gustavo
G
Milone
Jorge
J
Bordone
Javier
J
Lastiri
Francisco
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D054438:Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic, Atypical, BCR-ABL Negative / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome