Sensitive Detection of Neuroblastoma Cells in Bone Marrow for Monitoring the Efficacy of Marrow Purging Procedures

摘要

Tumor cell contamination of marrow harvested from neuroblastoma patients for use in autologous marrow transplantation may adversely effect patient survival. The number of neuroblastoma cells that are tumorigenic when infused into man is unknown, but it is possible that even small numbers of viable tumor cells infused into the patient with the marrow could result in reestablishing the disease. A number of methods for 'purging' malignant cells from marrow have been studied, including antibody and complement-mediated lysis (Jansen, et al 1984), immunotoxins (Colombatti, et al 1984), centrifugal elutriation (Lord, Keng 1984), immunomagnetic depletion (Treleaven JG, et al 1984; Dicke, 1983), and various cytotoxic agents (Sharkis, et al 1980; Reynolds, 1982). However, development of effective purging methods has been impaired by the lack of rapid and sensitive methods for detecting viable cells remaining after in vitro treatment of the marrow.