[Stem cell transplantation in Morocco: report of 87 cases]

The autologous peripheral blood stem cells (CSP) are used as a support to the restoration of the hematopoiesis in oncohematology. The objective of this work, carried out in the laboratory of cryobiology at the Center Regional of Blood Transfusion, Casablanca, is to assess the short- and long-term results of this type of autograft.

This retrospective study focused on 87 patients treated for hematological malignancies in services of oncohaematology over a period from June 2004 to March 2009. One hundred and twenty-seven cytapheresis were conducted to collect the CSP. The rate of CD34+ cells ranged from two to 50x10(6) per kilogram. The removal, treatment with 10% DMSO, the characterization, cryopreservation, thawing and washing of grafts on Cobe 2991 were made before the autograft.

Forty-nine patients were transplanted for multiple myeloma, 24 for Hodgkin's disease, 13 for a non-Hodgkin lymphoma and one for rabdomyosarcome. The mean age of patients was 35 years. The mean length of hospitalization was 27 days. The average time of release for aplasia is 7 to 49 days, with a mean of 16 days. A blood transfusion was necessary during the aplasia: two to 41 red blood cells per patient and six to 298 platelet units per patient. The short-term complications after autologous transplantation are primarily infectious. Seven times the progressive hematologic malignancies and seven deaths are regrettable.

The autologous CSP is simple, effective and well tolerated, which should be developed in our context.