ABSTRACT
Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) was first attempted for patients with CML in transformation in order to restore a second chronic phase. In 1978, Buckner et al1 used bone marrow harvested during the chronic phase to rescue haematopoiesis after a supralethal myeloablative conditioning regimen including totalbody irradiation (TBI). Subsequently, Goldman et al2 reported that peripheral blood progenitor cells collected at diagnosis could be used efficiently to reconstitute haematopoiesis after similar conditioning. The results of ASCT for CML in transformation have been extensively reviewed,3-7 and can be summarized as follows:
• Haematopoietic recovery is faster after peripheral blood than bone marrow stem cell transplantation.
