Large Volume Leukapheresis for Collecting Hemopoietic Progenitors: Role of CD 34+ Precount in Predicting Successful Collection

In this work we evaluated the efficacy of stem cell collection with Large Volume Procedures. (LVP), and analysed the importance of the CD34+ cell precount in promoting the collection of a sufficient number of CD34+ cells for transplantation, using the Univariate Logistic Regression analysis. Eighty-nine leukapheresis were performed in 49 patients with hematological malignancies and solid tumors, mobilized with chemotherapy plus Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF). For each procedure 15.8 liters of blood were processed. The median value of Nucleated Cells (NC) and CD34+ cells precount was respectively 8.29 x 10(9)/ml (range 1.13/45.4) and 43.08 x 103/ml (range 1.06/795.2). Results show the capability of LVP to collect large quantities of hemopoietic progenitors with a median CD34+ cell total yield of 215.02 x 10(6) (range 5.03/2210). The yields per patients' body weight were: CD34+ cells 3.23 x 10(6)/kg (range 0.081/41.58). The regression analysis between blood cell precounts and collection yields gave the following correlations: the CD34+ cell precount correlates with CD34+ yield (r = 0.78 p < 0.00) and with CD34+ cell yield/kg (r = 0.76 p < 0.00). The number of CD34+ cells processed correlated with the number of CD34+ cells collected/kg (r = 0.83 p < 0.000). To investigate the importance of CD 34+ cell precount in promoting CD34+ cell yields > or =2.5 x 10(6)/kg we performed a Univariate Logistic Regression analysis that showed in our patients a probability of collecting > or =2.5 x 10(6) CD34+/kg that rose from 0.6 to 0.95 for CD 34+ precounts that oscillated from 30 to 40 x 10(3) CD34+ cells/ml, respectively. The Univariate Logistic Regression gave a probability of collecting > or =2.5 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg that oscillated between 0.64/0.98 for values of CD34+ cells processed from 6 x 10(6)/kg to 8 x 10(6)/kg, p < 0.000. Sixty-three percent of patients reached the target dose of 2.5 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg with only one LVP. Until now 12 patients have been transplanted and all have had a prompt and complete lasting recovery. These results confirm the efficacy of LVP in harvesting hemopoietic progenitors and their ability in reconstituting hemopoiesis of transplanted patients, enabling the estimation of CD34+ precounts and CD34+ cells processed values, highly predictive for the collection of > or =2.5 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg. Furthermore, the Logistic Model suggests that the best strategy to plan a successful CD34+ cell collection procedure is to identify for each patient the amount of CD34+ cells/kg to be processed rather than the fixed processing of 3/5 blood volumes in all patients.