High Dose Chemo with Stem Cell Transplant as BC Treatment
High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant has been tested on certain types of cancer such as neuroblastoma (an uncommon cancer that usually occurs in children), certain types of leukemia, and lymphoma. Some physicians consider high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant to be the best treatment option for these diseases under specific circumstances. High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant is being evaluated through randomized clinical trials for the treatment of breast and ovarian cancer, and multiple myeloma. Studies are also being conducted in brain tumors.
What is done to reduce the risk of cancer cells recurring in the stem cells that are reinfused?
In an effort to detect cancer cells in the stem cells and protect the patient from possible recurrence, the stem cells can be treated before storage or transplantation. Treatment to remove or destroy cancer cells in the harvested stem cells, known as purging, can be accomplished in a number of ways. Purging does not necessarily remove all cancer cells from the harvested marrow. In addition, not all patients undergoing stem cell transplant receive purged marrow because it is not clear whether purging truly reduces the risk of relapse after transplantation.
Is high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant effective in treating breast cancer? The NCI and other health care institutions are currently investigating whether high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant is effective in the treatment of breast cancer and how it compares with standard treatments currently in use. While some data (predominantly from non-randomized studies) suggest a benefit for high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant for some women with breast cancer, benefit has not yet been definitively proven.
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