Cryopreservation and storage of human bone marrow: a survey of current practices

As bone marrow transplantation is being used with increasing frequency, problems of storage space and cost, inventory control and disposal have arisen. Issues such as maximum storage time and acquisition of consent for marrow disposal need to be addressed before a large inventory is accumulated. Consideration should also be given to using non-infused marrows for research purposes. Eighty-three bone marrow transplant centers were surveyed in an attempt to establish a data base with regard to guidelines for storage of cryopreserved human bone marrow. Fifty-two centers (62.7%) responded to the questionnaire, 5 of which did not have an active cryopreservation program. The remaining 47 centers freeze and store autologous marrow from patients with leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma and a large diversity of other conditions including solid tumors. Twelve centers (25.5%) specify maximum storage times of up to 5 years, but only 9 centers (19.1%) require the donor to sign a specific consent form for marrow disposal if it is not used for transplantation within a given time. Eighty-five percent of the responding centers reinfuse at least half of the marrows they freeze within 12 months of harvesting. It appears that at least 90% of marrows that are being reinfused have been stored for three years or less. However, the storage time of non-infused marrows extends even further, and autologous marrow has been reinfused successfully as long as eight years after storage.