Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in A Single Pediatric Center

After the first five years working we evaluate the results of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) performed between 2007 and 2012, a total of 25 ASCT, 16 neuroblastomas, 6 Hodgkin Diseases, 1 LBCL, 1 AML, 1 PNET. Median age was 7.2 years, 13 females, 12 males. Conditioning regimens were 17 CEM, 5 BU/MEL,  3 BEAM.  Stem cell source was 21 PBSC, 2 PBSC + BM, 2 BM. The median MNC and CD34 infused were 5.3 x 10⁸/kg and 4.21 x 10⁶/kg. Hematological recovery median time was 11 days for neutrophils 12 days for platelets. Hospitalization median time was 34 days, two patients (SDRA- graft syndrome and gastrointestinal bleeding) required transfer to the intensive care unit, both of them improved and discharged. One hundred days mortality was 12% (3 patients) all for relapse of the underlying disease. Of a total of 25 patients, 9 patients (36%) have died, all cases because of disease relapse. These data show a very low transplant related mortality as expected for ASCT, and demonstrate that autologous transplantation in pediatric patients can be safely and effectively performed in developing countries with results comparable to those obtained in developed countries. Our goal in the future is to assess the long term effects on survivors and show similar results in allogeneic related and unrelated transplants currently under evaluation.