Cryopreserved Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Products for Multiple Myeloma Patients

Abstract

Background and Objectives Autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation has been associated with improved response and progression-free survival rates. The high-dose therapy followed by PBSC transplantation is the standard treatment for multiple myeloma patients. Tandem or double autologous PBSC transplantation is usually performed for myeloma patients within a time period of no more than six months. It is associated with better outcomes compared to a single transplant. Therefore, it is important to collect enough PBSC to ensure availability to perform tandem transplantation and save some PBSCs in case of relapse. Material and Method In this study, we present the results of 110 patients with multiple myeloma treated by autologous blood stem cell transplantation in the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (HLUHS) Kauno Klinikos from 2015 to 2020 June. Patients underwent apheresis, collected PBSCs were cryopreserved using controlled rate freezing and stored in vapor phase nitrogen tanks until transplantation. Results The median of 2 aphereses were done for one patient (range from 1 to 4). Only one apheresis was done for 8 patients (7.3%), 2 aphereses for 63 patients (57.3%), 3 aphereses for 34 patients (30.9%), 4 aphereses for 5 patients (4.5%). After one cycle of stimulation the median of 3 bags of cryopreserved cells were prepared per patient, ranging from 1 to 5. Only 1 bag was prepared for 2 patients (1.8%), 2 bags were prepared for 18 patients (16.4%), 3 bags were prepared for 43 patients (39.1%), 4 bags were prepared for 35 patients (31.8%), 5 bags were prepared for 12 patients (10.9%). After one apheresis, the median of 1 bag of cryopreserved PBSC product was prepared per patient (range from 1 to 3) with the median of 3.3 CD34+ cells harvested per kilogram of body weight (range from 0.6 to 38.0). In Kauno Klinikos 70 (63.6%) patients were supplied for both tandem transplant...[...].