Long-Term Hematologic Reconstitution And Clinical Evaluation Of Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation After Cryopreservation Of Cells With 5% And 10% Dimethylsulfoxide At-80 Degrees C In A Mechanical Freezer

We report the long-term evaluation over 12 years of a simplified technique for stem-cell cryopreservation at -80 degrees C without rate-controlled freezing and with 5% (n=251) or 10% (n=47) DMSO as the sole cryoprotectant. Platelet recovery was greater in the 5% DMSO group while long-term hematologic recovery did not differ. Factors influencing a faster hematologic recovery were infusion of more than 2.7x10(4)/kg of CD34(+) cells, 10% DMSO cryopreservation and G-CSF. We confirm that the procedure is feasible with a reduction in infusion-related toxicity from 60% using 5% DMSO. Differences in hematologic reconstitution were not clinically significant if a minimum of 1.5x10(6)/kg CD34(+)-cells were infused.