Utility of Stem Cell Collection in Anticipation of Future Need for Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in Follicular Lymphoma Patients

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the second most common non Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States, comprising up to 30% of all non Hodgkin lymphomas. Typically an indolent disease, relapses are common. High dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant is an option that has shown to produce prolonged progression-free and relapse-free survival in patients who relapse. Adequate bone marrow reserve for peripheral stem cell mobilization has been shown to be adversely effected by prior regimens such as fludarabine and radioimmunotherapy. Concerns regarding stem cell mobilization at the point of relapse have led some to collect stem cells early in the course of disease to allow for potential subsequent transplant after relapse. Recent advances in stem cell mobilization have resulted in a 3% collection failure rate for lymphoma patients at the point of planned transplant at our institution versus a historical rate of up to 30%. We studied the utilization of stem cells collected for potential future use in FL patients in remission or prior to therapy at the point of relapse or progression in order to determine the utility of this approach.

Record review of patients diagnosed with FL through the Mayo Clinic Tumor Registry and the Mayo Clinic Lymphoma Data Base who had cryopreserved stem cells for potential future transplant at relapse. Cost of stem cell storage at our institution was reviewed as was the subsequent use of the collected cells.

73 patients with FL had stem cells collected and stored. 37 (51%) were collected prior to a double dose yttrium-90 (⁹⁰Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan trial for relapsed lymphoma as required by the study. The median age at collection of this group was 56 years (range 28–70). Stem cells remain in storage for a median of 44 months (range 8–119). The median cost of cryopreservation and storage is $4,094 based on the median storage time of 44 months (range $3,628 to 5,065) with a collection cost of $3,524.20 and an annual storage fee of $155.39. This does not include the cost of filgrastim for mobilization, nor line placement. At 5 years, 60% of the cells were not utilized, and at 10 years, 56% of the cells were not utilized.

36 (49%) of the total number of patients were not part of the double dose ⁹⁰Y ibritumomab tiuxetan trial, but were collected in remission for possible future use or in the setting of relapsed, progressed or transformed disease for potential future transplant. Five of these patients required the use of plerixafor for adequate mobilization. The median age at collection of this group was 47 years (range 24–76). Stem cells remain in storage for a median of 39 months (range 2–128). The median cost of cryopreservation and storage is $4,029 based on the median storage time of 39 months (range $3,550 to 5,182) with a collection cost of $3,524.20 and an annual storage fee of $155.39. This does not include the cost of filgrastim or plerixafor for mobilization, nor line placement. At 5 years, 89% of these cells were not used, and at 10 years, 71% of cells were not used.

The utilization of stem cells collected early in the course of FL patients is low, with the majority of cells not being utilized at 10 years. Given improved mobilization techniques resulting in 97% efficacy of stem cell collection at relapse, routine collection and storage of stem cells early in the course FL is not recommended.

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