Autologous bone marrow transplantation in children.

Autologous bone marrow transplantation is a procedure that allows for the delivery of high doses of chemotherapy and radiation to treat pediatric malignancies. There have been many studies showing a dose-response curve for many of the drugs that have been used for cytoreductive therapy in autologous bone marrow transplantation. These dosage ranges are achievable in many of the preparative regimens used in autologous bone marrow transplantation. The results in neuroblastoma, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Ewing's sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, osseous sarcoma, other soft tissue sarcomas, and acute leukemias (acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia) are reviewed. The question of purging of bone marrow during autologous bone marrow transplantation is addressed. The different techniques of purging are reviewed and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. Finally, new areas of treatment and future directions of autologous bone marrow transplantation are addressed.