Plerixafor and G-CSF for PBSC mobilization in patients with lymphoma who failed previous attempts with G-CSF and chemotherapy: a REL (Rete Ematologica Lombarda) experience.

Plerixafor has been previously reported to improve PBSC collection in pts undergoing PBSC mobilization. Aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of plerixafor and G-CSF in pts with lymphoma who failed previous attempts of PBSC mobilization with conventional schemes of chemotherapy+G-CSF. 35 heavily pre-treated lymphoma pts (29 NHL, 6 HL) classified as "poor mobilizers" were enrolled in a program of compassionate use of plerixafor in 7 Italian centres of REL (Rete Ematologica Lombarda). Median number of previous lines of therapy was 3 and median number of previous attempts of mobilizations was 2. The median number of circulating CD34+ cells/μL following plerixafor was 11/μL. It was ≥10/μL in 17 pts and ≥20/μL in 10 pts; 13 were able to collect ≥2×10(6) CD34+ cells/kg with a median of 1 apheresis procedure; 4 pts collected ≥4×10(6) CD34+ cells/kg. A total of 6 pts had proceeded to transplant at the time of analysis. The median dose of PBSCs infused was 4×10(6)/kg and hematopoietic recovery was regular. In conclusion, plerixafor combined with G-CSF allows a collection of adequate number of PBSC in approximately 40% of cases of poor mobilizer, heavily pre-treated pts with lymphoma, who need consolidation with ASCT.