Analysis of CD34+ cell collection using two mobilization regimens for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients reveals the separate impact of mobilization and collection variables

Mobilization regimens for CD34+ cells have generally been judged successful based on the number of cells collected without evaluating mobilization separately from collection. Using retrospective data for patients who collected CD34+ cells on Total Therapy protocols 3a/3b (VTD-PACE) and Total Therapy 4/5 using a novel regimen that added low dose melphalan to VTD-PACE (MVTD-PACE), we analyzed mobilization and collection variables separately. A significant difference favoring MVDT-PACE was found in mean CD34+ cells/μL on day 2 of collection and in mean ratio of CD34+ cells/μL on day 2 to day 1. However, because apheresis variables and growth factor dose during collection were manipulated to optimize individual collections, the two regimens were not significantly different when the mean total CD34+ cells ×10⁶/kg collected was compared. Thus, when evaluating a emotherapy regimen or new growth factor for mobilization, it is important to realize that total CD34+ cells collected is dependent on both mobilization and collection variables.