Non-cryopreserved peripheral blood stem cells autologous transplantation in multiple myeloma: Bicentric study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to evaluate the toxicity of autologous transplantation of non-frozen peripheral blood stem cells in Moroccan patients with multiple myeloma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a bicentric retrospective study conducted in the Clinical Haematology Department of Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital and at the Al Madina Clinic in Casablanca. The study period was from January 2015 to June 2019. All patients with multiple myeloma who had undergone an autologous peripheral stem cell transplant without freezing were included. Mobilisation was performed with lenograstim alone and the collected stem cells were stored for 24-48hours in a blood bank refrigerator at a temperature of 4°C. After standard conditioning with high-dose melphalan, the peripheral blood stem cells were reinjected 24 h following conditioning.

RESULTS

Over the study period, 55 patients received an autologous transplant using non-frozen peripheral blood stem cells. The median richness of the CD34 cells collected was 4.5×10⁶ CD34/kg (range: 2-12.2). The time required for neutrophil recovery was 12 days (range: 7-19). The time required for platelet recovery was 14 days (range: 9-32). The mortality rate within 100 days post-transplant was 3.6%. We did not observe any cases of graft failure.

CONCLUSION

Our study finds good feasibility and low toxicity of autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation without freezing in patients with multiple myeloma.