title: Plerixafor mobilization of peripheral blood hematopoietic progenitors to support further high-dose chemotherapy cycles in a patient with germ-cell tumor relapsing after previous tandem high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic cell transplantation: report of a case.
abstract: Salvage high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation represents a curative treatment option for patients with relapsed/refractory germ-cell tumors (GCTs). However, an appreciable proportion of these fail to mobilize adequate numbers of hematopoietic progenitors; thus, plerixafor is applied for that purpose. Limited data exist on remobilization of HSCs after previous autografting. Here, we report a unique case that had undergone successful previous tandem HDC for relapsed GCT, and 1 year later required remobilization of HSCs to support two further cycles of HDC after subsequent multiple relapses and refractoriness requiring various salvage regimens. Plerixafor in combination with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor showed its efficacy in mobilizing 6×10 CD34+/kg HSCs able to rescue two HDC cycles of carboplatin-etoposide, leading to stable hematopoietic engraftment. Plerixafor showed its potency to mobilize adequate numbers of HSCs in a patient with relapsed/refractory GCT after previous tandem HDC and autografting. The case is discussed in the context of HSC mobilization in patients who have undergone previous HDC and autografting and are deemed to have poor hematopoietic reserves, and a detailed literature review of this topic is provided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Program, 'Metaxa' Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miltiadous
authors.forename: Georgios K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Dimitriadis
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roditis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kosmas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001596:Benzylamines; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000080027:Cyclams; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization / Q000379:methods*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013852:Thiotepa / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001596:Benzylamines; D000080027:Cyclams; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D005047:Etoposide; D013852:Thiotepa; D016190:Carboplatin; C088327:plerixafor