A single dose of Pegfilgrastim versus daily Filgrastim to evaluate the mobilization and the engraftment of autologous peripheral hematopoietic progenitors in malignant lymphoma patients candidate for high-dose chemotherapy.

Pegfilgrastim has equivalent efficacy to daily G-CSF in enhancing neutrophil recovery after chemotherapy, but conclusive data concerning its use for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) mobilization are lacking. From 2003 to 2008 we used high-dose chemotherapy in 64 lymphoma patients. At mobilization chemotherapy (ESHAP) the first 26 patients used unconjugated G-CSF, while the remaining 38 patients received Pegfilgrastim. At the time of harvest 25 patients collected stem cells after the use of G-CSF and 36 in the Peg group. No statistical by significant differences were observed in median peripheral CD34+ cells mobilized (77 μL versus 71 μL) and in collected PBSC (12.3 × 10(6)/kg versus 9.4 × 10(6)/kg p = 0.76). In the PEG group all patients collected the target PBSC with a single apheresis with a greater proportion of "optimal" mobilizers (83% versus 64%; p = 0.05). In conclusion a single dose of Pegfilgrastim could be a valid alternative to unconjugated G-CSF to mobilize PBSC in lymphoma patients.