The endogenous granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor response following autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is impaired in patients with myeloma

Abstract

Summary. Granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) levels were studied in 23 patients (10 myeloma, 13 relapsed Hodgkin's disease, non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma or germ cell tumours), post autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). The two groups had similar previous chemotherapy and numbers of CD34+ cells transplanted. All patients received G‐CSF by injection starting 8 d post transplantation. Twenty out of 23 patients showed raised endogenous levels of G‐CSF before cytokine administration. Myeloma patients showed significantly lower levels of endogenous G‐CSF than the other patients (0·767 versus 3·262 ng/ml, P < 0·05). Further rises in G‐CSF levels were seen following the administration of exogenous G‐CSF which then fell, despite ongoing administration of G‐CSF, as neutrophil recovery occurred.