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Pluripotential cells and repair capacity

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 27, page 1319 (2001)Cite this article

We read with great interest the case report ‘Radiation myelitis following allogeneic stem cell transplantation and consolidation radiotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma’.1 In its conclusion, the authors point out that commonly accepted normal tissue radiation tolerance may have limited applicability following dose intensive transplantation therapy. The same point is made by Chao et al2 concluding that non-hematologic subclinical chemotherapeutic toxicity can occur in a number of normal tissues including spinal cord, which may lead to a lower cord tolerance. Both case reports are the only ones reported dealing with radiation myelopathies after safe RT doses following high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation.

Excessive spinal cord toxicity was reported in 1994 by Watterson et al3 in a group of 23 cases of myelopathy that occurred in patients who received intensive CNS-directed therapy with systemic chemotherapy, intrathecal chemotherapy, and radiation therapy contributing to toxicity. The exact relationship and contribution of each modality to the development of myelitis, remains unknown.

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  1. Radiation Oncology Department, Hospital Son Dureta, Calle Andrea Doria 55, Palma de Mallorca, 07014, Spain

    I Alastuey & F Mestre

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  1. I Alastuey
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  2. F Mestre
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Alastuey, I., Mestre, F. Pluripotential cells and repair capacity. Bone Marrow Transplant 27, 1319 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703073

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