Removal of Neuroblastoma Cells from Bone Marrow with Monoclonal Antibodies and Magnetic Immunobeads

摘要

Neuroblastoma, a neoplasm of the sympathetic nervous system, is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood. With current conventional therapy, 60% of neuroblastoma patients have an extremely poor prognosis. We report pre-clinical studies of purging neuroblastoma cells from marrow with monoclonal antibodies and magnetic immunobeads. A mixture of anti-cell surface antibodies removes tumor cells more effectively than a single antibody, and two sequential treatments with antibodies and immunobeads is better than one treatment. With this method, four to four and one-half logs of tumor cells can be removed form marrow with good recovery of normal marrow cells. (Reprints)