Autologous transplantation of a bone marrow graft manipulated by chemoseparation to eliminate residual tumor cells.

An autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) was performed in a 45-year-old male patient with AML in therapy-resistant first relapse including CNS-disease. The marrow graft was harvested 18 months before, at the beginning of first remission, and was subjected to an in-vitro incubation with 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC) prior to cryopreservation to eliminate residual clonogenic tumor cells. After myeloablative therapy with high-dose Cyclo-phosphamide (CY), total body irradiation (TBI) and intrathecal application of Methotrexate (MTX), the manipulated marrow graft was reinfused. The myelopoietic reconstitution started already 6 days after ABMT and was completed 40 days thereafter. There is evidence for a complete remission in marrow and spinal fluid observed over a period of 4 months.