Use of selected CD34+ cells in the treatment of relapsed/progressive HD: experiences from a single center.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Treatment of HD using positively selected stem cells can achieve a durable CR in almost 80% patients, with a median follow-up of 24 months. We have found the use of positive selected CD34+ cells in the treatment of relapsed/progressive HD after high-dose chemotherapy to be a safe procedure with promising results. METHODS: Positively selected (CD34+) stem cells were employed for autografting in the patients with HD after high-dose chemotherapy. RESULTS: Between April 1996 and February 2001, 28 patients with relapsed/progressive HD were autografted with positively selected CD34+ cells at our Institute. All patients are alive and we did not observe any deaths as a result of toxicity. From this group, 22 (78.6%) patients are in durable CR, with a median follow-up of 24 months (range 7-65 months). Six (21.4%) patients relapsed but are now in CR after radiotherapy and mini-allogeneic transplantation (one patient) or radiotherapy (five patients). DISCUSSION: Autologous transplantation with positively selected CD34+ cells in relapsed HD is a safe and effective procedure in the treatment of this disease.