Bone marrow and blood findings after marrow transplantation and rhGM-CSF therapy

Sequential bone marrow biopsy specimens and peripheral blood findings were evaluated from patients treated with recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor after autologous bone marrow transplantation for recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Parallel increases were found in white blood cell count and marrow cellularity and in absolute neutrophil count, monocyte count, and marrow myeloid:erythroid ratio. Platelet count recovery and the reappearance of megakaryocytes occurred later than granulocyte/monocyte recovery. Elevated peripheral eosinophil counts and eosinophilic hyperplasia in the marrow were noted during recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor administration, as was the appearance of distinctive, prominently granulated and/or vacuolated neutrophils and neutrophilic precursors in the blood and bone marrow. No detrimental effects of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor administration in the marrow or peripheral blood were observed.