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  • Original Article
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Lymphoid Reconstitution

Prolonged survival associated with early lymphocyte recovery after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with metastatic breast cancer

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 28, pages 865–871 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Early absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) recovery at day 15 post-autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a powerful prognostic indicator for survival in multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The relationship of ALC with clinical outcomes in metastatic breast cancer is unknown. We evaluated all 29 patients with metastatic breast cancer who underwent ASCT at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, from 1994 to 1999. The ALC threshold was set at 500 cells/μl on day 15 post-ASCT based on previous experience with hematologic malignancies. All patients were followed for a minimum of 2 years or until death, with a median follow-up for living patients of 2.25 years. Of the 29 patients, 17 have died with disease progression, two are alive and have progressed, and 10 are alive without progression. The median overall and progression-free survival times were significantly better for the 20 patients with ALC ⩾500 cells/μl compared with the nine patients with ALC <500 cells/μl (not reached vs 14 months, P < 0.0001; 24 vs 7 months, P < 0.0015, respectively). In conclusion, ALC ⩾500 cells/μl on day 15 post-ASCT was associated with significantly better survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer, suggesting the importance of early immune recovery post-ASCT in these patients. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2001) 28, 865–871.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, and Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    LF Porrata & MR Litzow

  2. Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    JN Ingle & SN Markovic

  3. Cancer Center Statistics, Section of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    S Geyer

  4. Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    SN Markovic

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  1. LF Porrata
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  2. JN Ingle
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  4. S Geyer
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  5. SN Markovic
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Porrata, L., Ingle, J., Litzow, M. et al. Prolonged survival associated with early lymphocyte recovery after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with metastatic breast cancer. Bone Marrow Transplant 28, 865–871 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703236

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703236

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