Randomized phase-II trial evaluating induction therapy with idarubicin and etoposide plus sequential or concurrent azacitidine and maintenance therapy with azacitidine.

The aim of this randomized phase-II study was to evaluate the effect of substituting cytarabine by azacitidine in intensive induction therapy of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Patients were randomized to four induction schedules for two cycles: STANDARD (idarubicin, cytarabine, etoposide); and azacitidine given prior (PRIOR), concurrently (CONCURRENT), or after (AFTER) therapy with idarubicin and etoposide. Consolidation therapy consisted of allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation or three courses of high-dose cytarabine followed by 2-year maintenance therapy with azacitidine in the azacitidine-arms. AML with CBFB-MYH11, RUNX1-RUNX1T1, mutated NPM1, and FLT3-ITD were excluded and accrued to genotype-specific trials. The primary end point was response to induction therapy. The statistical design was based on an optimal two-stage design applied for each arm separately. During the first stage, 104 patients (median age 62.6, range 18-82 years) were randomized; the study arms PRIOR and CONCURRENT were terminated early due to inefficacy. After randomization of 268 patients, all azacitidine-containing arms showed inferior response rates compared to STANDARD. Event-free and overall survival were significantly inferior in the azacitidine-containing arms compared to the standard arm (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03, respectively). The data from this trial do not support the substitution of cytarabine by azacitidine in intensive induction therapy.

Epidemiological, genetic, and clinical characterization by age of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia based on an academic population-based registry study (AMLSG BiO).

We describe genetic and clinical characteristics of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients according to age from an academic population-based registry. Adult patients with newly diagnosed AML at 63 centers in Germany and Austria were followed within the AMLSG BiO registry (NCT01252485). Between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2014, data of 3525 patients with AML (45% women) were collected. The median age was 65 years (range 18-94). The comparison of age-specific AML incidence rates with epidemiological cancer registries revealed excellent coverage in patients < 70 years old and good coverage up to the age of 80. The distribution according to the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) risk categorization from 2010 was 20% favorable, 31% intermediate-1, 28% intermediate-2, and 21% adverse. With increasing age, the relative but not the absolute prevalence of patients with ELN favorable and intermediate-1 risk (p < 0.001), with activating FLT3 mutations (p < 0.001), with ECOG performance status < 2 (p < 0.001), and with HCT-CI comorbidity index < 3 (p < 0.001) decreased. Regarding treatment, obesity and favorable risk were associated with an intensive treatment, whereas adverse risk, higher age, and comorbidity index > 0 were associated with non-intensive treatment or best supportive care. The AMLSG BiO registry provides reliable population-based distributions of genetic, clinical, and treatment characteristics according to age.

European consensus on diagnosis and treatment of germ cell cancer: a report of the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG).

Germ cell tumour is the most frequent malignant tumour type in young men with a 100% rise in the incidence every 20 years. Despite this, the high sensitivity of germ cell tumours to platinum-based chemotherapy, together with radiation and surgical measures, leads to the high cure rate of > or = 99% in early stages and 90%, 75-80% and 50% in advanced disease with 'good', 'intermediate' and 'poor' prognostic criteria (IGCCCG classification), respectively. The high cure rate in patients with limited metastatic disease allows the reduction of overall treatment load, and therefore less acute and long-term toxicity, e.g. organ sparing surgery for specific cases, reduced dose and treatment volume of irradiation or substitution of node dissection by surveillance or adjuvant chemotherapy according to the presence or absence of vascular invasion. Thus, different treatment options according to prognostic factors including histology, stage and patient factors and possibilities of the treating centre as well may be used to define the treatment strategy which is definitively chosen for an individual patient. However, this strategy of reduction of treatment load as well as the treatment itself require very high expertise of the treating physician with careful management and follow-up and thorough cooperation by the patient as well to maintain the high rate for cure. Treatment decisions must be based on the available evidence which has been the basis for this consensus guideline delivering a clear proposal for diagnostic and treatment measures in each stage of gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumour and individual clinical situations. Since this guideline is based on the highest evidence level available today, a deviation from these proposals should be a rare and justified exception.

[Gemcitabine/cisplatin vs. MVAC. 5 year survival outcome of the phase III study of chemotherapy of advanced urothelial carcinoma in Germany]. / Gemcitabin/Cisplatin vs. MVAC. 5-Jahres-Ergebnisse der Phase-III-Studie zur Chemotherapie des fortgeschrittenen Urothelkarzinoms in Deutschland.

Of 405 patients with stage IV transitional cell carcinoma from an international multicenter phase III trial, 70 were randomized in Germany to receive either gemcitabine/cisplatin or standard MVAC systemic chemotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer. Overall survival as the primary endpoint of the study was similar in both arms (median survival GC 15.4 months vs MVAC 16.1 months), as were tumor-specific survival and time to progressive disease. In the intent-to-treat analysis, the 5-year overall survival rate was 10% for patients randomized to GC and 18% randomized to MVAC. Tumor overall response rates (GC 54%, MVAC 53%) were similar. The toxic death rate was 0% in the GC arm and 3% (one patient) in the MVAC arm. Significantly more GC than MVAC patients experienced grade 3/4 anemia (GC 52%, MVAC 20%) with significantly more red blood cell transfusions in the GC arm.Significantly more GC than MVAC patients had grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (GC 54%, MVAC 17%) without grade 3/4 hemorrhage or hematuria in either arm. More MVAC patients experienced grade 3/4 neutropenia (GC 56%, MVAC 61%, p=1.000), neutropenic or leukopenic fever (GC 0%, MVAC 10%, p=0.237), mucositis (GC 0%, MVAC 7%, p=0.495), and alopecia (GC 6%, MVAC 36%, p=0.004). GC represents a reasonable alternative for the palliative treatment of patients with locally advanced and metastatic transitional cell carcinoma. Sustained long-term survival was only found for patients with locally advanced cancer, lymphatic metastases, or solitary distant metastasis but not for visceral metastatic disease.

Safety and feasibility of CHOP/rituximab induction treatment followed by high-dose chemo/radiotherapy and autologous PBSC-transplantation in patients with previously untreated mantle cell or indolent B-cell-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Patients with no prior chemotherapy and with advanced and progressive follicular lymphoma (FCL) or mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) were enrolled into a treatment protocol combining CHOP/rituximab-CHOP therapy with subsequent consolidation high-dose therapy (HDT) to evaluate the safety and feasibility of this treatment. Overall, 15 patients were enrolled and 13 patients completed the entire treatment protocol without major toxicities or increased infectious complications. One patient withdrew consent after achieving complete remission (CR) prior to HDT. One patient was taken off study with signs of disease progression after induction treatment. All patients showed stable engraftment after HDT. Response rates appear to be favorable, indicating an additional effect of rituximab and HDT. Overall, 12 of 13 patients achieved CR/CRu and one patient partial remission. Follow-up of immune reconstitution displayed transient severe combined immunodeficiency with slow normalization of the cellular and humoral compartments without a significant increase of infectious complications. Taken together, high-dose chemotherapy can be safely given following treatment with CHOP+rituximab. Efficacy in this small cohort of patients was encouraging with sustained remissions in both FCL and MCL patients. Upfront HDT should be considered as a therapeutic option especially in young and/or high-risk patients.

Rituximab in vivo purging is safe and effective in combination with CD34-positive selected autologous stem cell transplantation for salvage therapy in B-NHL.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate feasibility and efficacy of Rituximab included into a sequential salvage protocol for CD20(+) B-NHL in relapse or induction failure. Twenty-seven patients with CD20(+) B-NHL in relapse or induction failure received Rituximab combined with DexaBEAM (R-DexaBEAM) for stem cell mobilization. Additional ex vivo selection of CD34-positive cells was performed using the CliniMacs device. Two doses of Rituximab were included in the high-dose therapy regimen (HDT). R-DexaBEAM was well tolerated and 26 of 27 patients mobilized sufficient numbers of CD34(+) blood stem cells. Application of R-DexaBEAM resulted in significant depletion of peripheral B cells. No treatment-related deaths occurred after HDT and all patients showed stable engraftment of hematopoesis. Combined immunodeficiency was observed post HDT and eight patients developed CMV antigenemia. Remission rate post HDT was 96% (CR, 24/26; PR, 1/26). Overall and progression-free survival (PFS) at 16 months post HDT (range 6-27) is 95% and 77%, respectively. With regard to histology, PFS was 71% in aggressive lymphoma (n = 11), 74% in indolent FCL (n = 10) and 100% in MCL (n = 5). The treatment protocol has proven feasible, with high purging efficiency and encouraging remission rates.

Activity of oxaliplatin in patients with relapsed or cisplatin-refractory germ cell cancer: a study of the German Testicular Cancer Study Group.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of oxaliplatin, a diaminocyclohaxane platinum derivative with incomplete cross-resistance to cisplatin in patients with relapsed or cisplatin-refractory germ cell cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with nonseminomatous cisplatin-refractory germ cell cancer or relapsed disease after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) plus autologous stem-cell support were treated with single-agent oxaliplatin 60 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15 repeated every 4 weeks (group 1; n = 16) or oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) given on days 1 and 15 of a 4-week cycle (group 2; n = 16). Patients were pretreated with a median of seven (range, three to 13) cisplatin-containing treatment cycles; 78% had received carboplatin/etoposide-based HDCT before oxaliplatin therapy. Twenty-seven patients (84%) were considered refractory (n = 20; 63%) or absolutely refractory (n = 7; 22%) to cisplatin therapy. RESULTS: Overall, four patients achieved a partial remission (13%; 95% confidence interval, 1% to 24%). Two additional patients achieved disease stabilization. All responses were observed in cisplatin-refractory patients, including three who had not responded to previous HDCT. Patients received a median two cycles of oxaliplatin with a median cumulative dose of 350 mg/m(2). Hematologic toxicity was generally mild, with five patients developing grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia. Nonhematologic side effects consisted mainly of nausea/vomiting. One patient developed grade 3 neurotoxicity. CONCLUSION: Considering the particularly unfavorable prognostic characteristics of this patient population compared with patients from previous trials for new drugs in germ cell cancer, eg, paclitaxel and gemcitabine, a 13% overall response rate and a 19% response rate in the group treated with oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) seems to be of interest. Oxaliplatin may be a palliative treatment option for this patient population, and evaluation in combination regimens is warranted.

Rituximab as in vivo purging agent in autologous stem cell transplantation for relapsed B-NHL.

In vivo purging may avoid relapse after high dose therapy (HDT) for relapsed lymphoma. Therefore, we have evaluated feasibility and efficacy of Rituximab as in vivo purging agent included into a sequential salvage protocol for CD20+ B-NHL in chemosensitive relapse or induction failure. Thirty seven patients were treated within this protocol and in 36/37 a stem cell product could be acquired with rare NHL contamination. Overall, due to the intensity of treatment there has been a substantial morbidity, including high rates of viral reactivation. However, only one patient died during treatment due to sepsis. Response rates were favourable with an overall response rate of 97% (with 30/35CR). With a maximum follow up of 3.5 years, 15 patients relapsed. Overall, the treatment protocol has proven feasible with high purging efficiency and encouraging remission rates in this unfavourable patient group.

Topical transforming growth factor-beta3 in the prevention or alleviation of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with lymphomas or solid tumors.

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta3 has been hypothesized to prevent or alleviate oral mucositis (OM) in cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy (CT). Two double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, phase II studies of TGF-beta3 were initiated in the United States, Europe, and Argentina in patients with lymphomas or solid tumors who were receiving highly stomatotoxic CT regimens. Patients were to apply 10-mL mouthwash applications of TGF-beta3 (25 microg/mL) or placebo four times daily (or twice daily) 1 day before and all days during CT. The patients were subsequently evaluated for OM incidence, severity, and duration using National Institute of Cancer Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) criteria and an objective scoring system (1). After the start of the trials, negative results from new preclinical studies suggesting suboptimal formulation and/or dosing led to an interim analysis of the ongoing clinical trials. One hundred fifty-two patients from the combined studies were included in the interim analysis, with 116 patients on the TGF-beta3 four times daily and placebo arms. Most (72%) patients had breast cancer, 22% had lymphomas, and 6% had other solid tumors. Although 98% (149 of 152) of patients experienced adverse events, only 14% (22 of 152) experienced events that were judged as possibly or probably related to the study drug (primarily gastrointestinal symptoms). No clinically relevant differences were seen between the treatment and placebo arms regarding safety, nor was there evidence for systemic absorption of TGF-beta3. Finally, there was no advantage of TGF-beta3 treatment regarding the incidence (TGF-beta3 four times daily versus placebo [46% versus 47%]), onset, or duration of NCI-CTC grade 3 or 4 OM. For this dose, formulation, regimen. and patient population, TGF-beta3 was not effective in the prevention or alleviation of CT-induced OM.

Failure of sustained engraftment after non-myeloablative conditioning with low-dose TBI and T cell-reduced allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplantation.

We investigated whether a T cell-reduced allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) with minimal conditioning and subsequent donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) could reduce the incidence and severity of GVHD while retaining stable engraftment. Five patients with hematological malignancies (three MM, one CLL, one Chediak-Higashi syndrome) were conditioned with TBI (200 cGy). One patient additionally received fludarabine (120 mg/m(2)). CsA and mofetyl-mycophenolate (MMF) were administered to prevent GVHD. All patients were grafted with >3 x 10(6)/kg highly purified CD34(+) cells together with 2 x 10(6)/kg CD3(+) cells (three patients) or 1 x 10(5)/kg CD3(+) cells (two patients). Quick hematopoietic recovery and initial mixed donor chimerism was observed. Treatment-related toxicity was minimal in all but one patient who died of treatment-refractory GVHD on day 112. The four other patients only achieved partial donor T cell chimerism. BM and PBMC donor chimerism was lost between day 40 and 209 despite DLI. Three patients are alive with disease and one is in CR. We conclude that T cell-reduced SCT using 200 cGy as the conditioning regimen does not result in stable hematopoietic engraftment. Predominant donor T cell chimerism is not a prerequisite for initial allogeneic hematopoietic proliferation. However for sustained long-term engraftment it is of major importance.

CD34+ cell enrichment for autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation by use of the CliniMACs device.

Several devices for selection of CD34+ peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) have been used during the last years for reducing tumor cell contamination of the graft. The new CliniMACS system (magnetic-activated cell separation system by Miltenyi Biotech GmbH, Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany) was recently approved for clinical use in Europe. To evaluate its purging efficiency and engraftment data in the autologous transplant, PBSC from 28 adult patients with various malignant diseases (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, n = 17; chronic lymphocytic leukemia, n = 5; multiple myeloma, n = 4; acute lymphocytic leukemia, n = 1; medulloblastoma, n = 1) were mobilized by chemotherapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (10 microg/kg per day). Thirty leukapheresis products from 28 patients with a median of 4.4 x 10(8) nucleated cells/kg body weight (bw)(range 0.6-10.8 x 10(8)/kg bw) and a median of 7.1 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg bw (range 2.8 to 18.8 x 10(6)/kg bw) were selected using the Cobe spectra cell separator (Cobe BCT Inc., Lakewood, CO). After the CliniMACS procedure, the median yield of CD34+ selected cells was 4.5 x 10(6)/kg (range 2.2-11.1 X 10(6)/kg bw) with a median recovery of 69.5% (range 46.9-87.3%) and a median purity of 97.7% (range 89.4-99.8%). The procedure did not alter viability of selected cells, which was tested by propidium iodide staining. So far, purified PBSC were used for autologous transplantation in 15 out of 28 patients after total body irradiation and/or high-dose chemotherapy. Median time to reach an absolute neutrophil count > 500/microl was 12 days (range 10-18 days), platelet recovery >50,000/microl occurred at day + 16 (range 11-22). With a median follow-up time of 12 months (range 3-19), 5 patients died of relapse. We confirmed the feasibility and safety of the CliniMACS CD34+ cell enrichment procedure in adult patients with autologous PBSC transplantation.

In vitro and in vivo purging of B lymphoma cells from stem-cell products using anti-CD20 Abs.

BACKGROUND: Autologous stem-cell transplantation has proved curative therapy for relapsed NHL. However, recurrence of underlying disease remains the major cause of treatment failure in this setting. METHODS: Development of effective MAb therapy directed against the B cell surface antigen CD20 has added a valuable tool of clearing contaminating lymphoma cells from stem-cell products by either in vitro or in vivo application. RESULTS: Transplantation of successfully in vitro purged bone marrow using Mabs has been correlated with prolonged survival in large Phase-II study. So far, no randomized trial could demonstrate a therapeutic benefit for in vitro purging. The anti-CD20 Mab rituximab has been used for in vivo purging at the time of stem cell collection or peritransplantation. This method has been shown to be safe and feasible. In the majority of patients the combination of rituximab with anti-lymphoma chemotherapy meant the collected stem cell products were free of molecularly-detectable lymphoma cells. DISCUSSION: The increasing ability to kill all lymphoma cells in vivo by regimens including myeloablative therapy renders contaminating lymphoma cells of the autologous stem cell product the main source for disease recurrence. Clearing of these cells remains a prerequisite for curative stem-cell transplantation. Establishment of safe and effective therapeutic schedules using Mabs will enhance the chance for collection of lymphoma-free hematopoietic stems cells.

Rapid identification of minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1 subtypes H and R using fluorescence-labeled oligonucleotides.

Donor-recipient disparitiy of the minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1 is relevant for the development of graft-versus-host disease after HLA-matched sibling allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in HLA-A*0201-positive individuals. Two different alleles of HA-1 with a single amino acid polymorphism have been identified. Here we describe a time- and cost-efficient method for HA-1 typing of genomic DNA, using site-specific hybridization probes with the LightCycler. This method was compared with standard techniques as sequencing or allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and proved to be specific, reliable and reproducible. We conclude that HA-1-subtyping using fluorescent-labeled oligonucleotides represents a attractive method for the screening of samples before allogeneic transplantation in HLA-A*0201-positive individuals.

Regulatory elements of the leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) promoter in murine bone marrow stromal cells.

Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) plays an important role as a haematopoietically active cytokine. As described earlier in a murine model, interleukin 1 (IL-1) induced LIF mRNA and protein expression. We utilized the murine cell line +/+-1.LDA11 to further define regulatory mechanisms of LIF expression in bone marrow stromal cells. The production of LIF mRNA is stimulated by IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and the cAMP analogue 8-bromoadenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (8BrcAMP). LIF mRNA expression is controlled at the transcriptional level. Different fragments from -542 to -45 bp 5' upstream of the transcriptional start site of the murine LIF gene were fused to the luciferase gene. All LIF-promoter luciferase constructs exhibited constitutive luciferase activity under serum free conditions. The level of luciferase activity decreased with LIF-promoter constructs of less than 249 bp (pLIF249) in size. When tested with the 314 bp LIF-promoter construct, incubation of stromal cells with IL-1beta (500 U/ml) resulted in a 1.57-fold stimulation, with TNF-alpha (500 U/ml) in 2.06-fold stimulation, and with 8BrcAMP (0.5 mM) in a 3. 42-fold stimulation of luciferase activity. By testing different deletion mutants we could narrow the IL-1 and TNF-alpha responsive promoter areas to the region -249 to -145 bp and the 8BrcAMP responsive area from -145 to -82 bp. Mobility shift experiments revealed that nuclear proteins from stromal cells form a DNA-protein complex by binding to the region from -249 to -145 bp of the LIF promoter.

cAMP analogues downregulate the expression of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in human bone marrow stromal cells in vitro.

The stimulation of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been shown to be counteracted in different mesenchymal cell systems by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) agonists. The aim of this study was the evaluation of different cAMP agonists on GM-CSF expression in human bone marrow stromal cells. Incubation of secondary haematopoietic progenitor cell deprived human stromal cell cultures with IL-1 or TNF-alpha induced GM-CSF protein expression in culture supernatants and GM-CSF-mRNA in adherent stromal cells. The coincubation with 8-bromo-cAMP (8BrcAMP), a water soluble cAMP analogue, inhibited this GM-CSF stimulation at the protein and the mRNA level. This effect was dose dependent with a maximal inhibition of about 65% occurring at a 8BrcAMP concentration of 0.75 mM. In addition to 8BrcAMP, other cAMP agonists such as dibutyryl-cAMP, forskolin, pertussis toxin, or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) had the same inhibitory effect on GM-CSF stimulation by IL-1. Coincubation with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin had no significant influence on GM-CSF expression in stromal cells. Our results provide evidence that the previously described inhibitory effect of cAMP agonist PGE2 on haematopoietic progenitor cells in vivo is, at least in part, mediated by modulating the expression of GM-CSF in bone marrow stromal cells.

The use of dose-intensified chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumors. German Testicular Cancer Study Group.

With the use of a cisplatin-based chemotherapy, metastatic testicular cancer has become a model for a highly curable malignant disease. Current data show that 70% to 80% of patients with this disease will achieve long-term survival following cisplatin/etoposide/bleomycin therapy. The role of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support is being investigated in metastatic germ cell cancer in attempts to improve outcome for patients whose disease relapses after standard-dose chemotherapy and for those who present initially with advanced metastatic disease. Prognostic categories for patients receiving high-dose salvage chemotherapy have recently been developed: cisplatin-refractory disease, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin values greater than 1,000 U/L, and primary mediastinal germ cell tumors are factors characterizing patients who will derive less benefit from high-dose chemotherapy than those with chemosensitive disease at relapse. While standard-dose salvage chemotherapy achieves only a 20% long-term survival rate, high-dose salvage chemotherapy may yield a cure rate of approximately 40%. A randomized study comparing high-dose therapy with conventional-dose therapy (IT94 coordinated by the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation) in patients with relapsed disease is ongoing to substantiate this observation. The use of dose-intensive therapy as first-line treatment is currently being studied by several institutions. High-dose therapy may be better tolerated when used first line compared with its use in the salvage situation, and may also achieve a rapid initial cell kill before cytostatic drug resistance develops. The German Testicular Cancer Study Group has developed a sequential high-dose combination regimen of cisplatin/etoposide/ifosfamide given with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and peripheral blood stem cell support for four cycles every 3 weeks. This ongoing study, started in 1990, had accrued 218 patients with advanced testicular germ cell tumors as of June 1997. Of 141 evaluable patients receiving dose levels 1 through 5, 82 (58%) have achieved complete remission with no evidence of disease and 32 (23%) have achieved partial remission with marker normalization. The early death rate was 8%. Overall and event-free survival rates at 2 years are 78% and 73%, respectively, with a projected 5-year overall survival rate of 74%. Despite favorable preliminary results, this approach cannot be considered standard treatment. Currently, high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation should be administered to patients with testicular cancer only within controlled clinical trials to allow long-term cure rates and treatment-related late side effects to be evaluated.

Infectious complications during neutropenia subsequent to peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Type, severity and incidence of infection during the neutropenic period after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for treatment of malignant disease were studied in 66 patients treated at a single institution. Data of 34 female and 32 male patients with a median age of 43 years suffering from leukemia (12), lymphoma (35), multiple myeloma (six) or solid tumors (13) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had received at least 2.5 x 10(6) CD34-positive cells for stem cell rescue after high-dose chemotherapy. Ninety-four percent of the patients experienced at least one febrile episode during their post-transplant course. The patients recovered quickly and defervesced after a median of 4 days. The incidence of bacteremia was 39% and gram-positive cocci were the predominant pathogens. In contrast, severe organ infections were rare. Only 5% of the patients suffered from lung infiltrates. No invasive fungal infections were observed. No transplant-related deaths occurred in the 66 patients studied. We conclude that the severe, but shortlasting neutropenia after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is associated with a high incidence of bacterial infection. The severity of the majority of these infections is moderate. With appropriate anti-infective therapies these infections can be managed and life-threatening infectious complications, in particular fungal infections, are rare. Empirical anti-infective regimens specifically designed for this clinical situation should be explored.