[Autologous bone marrow transfusion in the treatment of adults with hematologic neoplasms. Experiences from Bern]

21 patients with hematological neoplasias (8 ALL, 4 AML, 4 NHL, 5 HD) were treated with high dose therapy and autologous bone marrow rescue (ABMT). At the time of ABMT 12 patients were in CR, 6 in PR and 3 in relapse. 66% of the patients were at high risk at the time of diagnosis. Before ABMT patients received an ablative regimen such as cyclophosphamide or ARA-C, VP-16, DNR and 12 Gy TBI in 6 fractions. In 9 patients the bone marrow was treated in vitro with monoclonal antibodies and complement. The hospital stay was a median 33 (24-57) days and isolation 19 (9-49) days. Complications were septicemia (7), herpes stomatitis (7), infections (6), fungal sepsis (1) and hemorrhagic cystitis (2). Late complications (up to 6 months after ABMT) were pneumococcal sepsis (1), cerebral toxoplasmosis (1) and herpes zoster (3). 10 of 19 evaluable patients are alive and relapse-free 1-33 months (median 10) after ABTM, and 3 of 10 more than 2 years later: 4 of 5 were transplanted in 1. CR, 4 of 6 in greater than or equal to 2. CR and 2 of 8 in PR. 4 patients are living in therapy sensitive relapse 2, 11, 11 and 39 months after ABMT in 2. CR or PR. 5 patients died 1-13 (median 3.5) months on relapse, 2 of 21 from septicemia. The morbidity of ABMT is comparable with conventional high dose chemotherapy. Relapse-free survival was significantly influenced by the remission status at ABMT. Long-term survivors can be expected even in patients with high risk hematological malignancies. However, only wider trials will serve to establish the efficacy of ABMT.