Peripheral blood cells transplantation--a review article

Abstract

In the twelve years since the first PBSCT were reported, impressive advancements in BCT techniques have made it easy to perform, effective, less costly, rapid haematologically recoverable, reduced morbidity and mortality, shorten overall duration of cancer treatment and hospital stay. Development of high-dose chemotherapy and new novel effective antitumor drugs otherwise limited by haematological toxicities may now become possible. Treatment of haematological malignancies with purged autologous PBPCT, e.g. Ph Chromosome negative progenitor cells in CML or with immunologically manipulated allogeneic PC having preserved GVL but not GVHD action, with hopeful prospects, is now becoming possible. Tailoring of BC for ex-vivo selection and expansion of specially active T Iymphocytes, NK cells and other immune effector cells will enable adoptive immunotherapeutic approach and treatment of Minimal residual disease [MRD] after high-dose chemotherapy both in grafts and in patients. The discovery of a nonhaematopoietic, engraftment facilitator cell form donor BM may usher in further precision in GVHD prevention by purification and in adoptive immunotherapeutic approach. Therefore, it is likely that BCT will supersede BMT, though the follow-up is too short to draw conclusions.