Abstract
Twenty-six children with malignant diseases (acute leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, yolk sac carcinoma), aplastic anemia, and severe combined immunodeficiency received allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation in Kanagawa Children's Medical Center. Of the patients, 2 children with advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were reported in detail. Case 1 was a 4-year-old boy with T cell NHL (Stage IV). The bone marrow (BM) cells were harvested at the time of complete remission, and T cells in the BM were purged by pan T monoclonal antibody (CT-2) plus complement, and then cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. High-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation (TBI) 12 Gy were administered, followed by auto BMT. The BM engraftment was achieved on day 46. There were three episodes of viral infections, i.e., interstitial pneumonitis due to cytomegalovirus, chicken pox, and herpes zoster after BMT. He has remained in remission more than 14 months. Case 2 was a boy with NHL of the bones (Stage IV). The unpurged BM cells were cryopreserved because the BM involvement of lymphoma cells was not detected. Myeloablative therapy and TBI were done, followed by auto BMT. The BM engraftment was achieved on day 18, and serious complication did not develop. He is still in unmaintained complete remission after more than 15 months post transplant. This study suggests that auto BMT using ex vivo BM treated. with CT-2 antibody plus complement is safe, and intensive therapy and auto BMT may produce prolonged remission in children with a bad prognosis for NHL.
