Sequential detection of tumor cells in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of patients with stage IV neuroblastoma by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA

Abstract

These findings show that there is a substantial risk of tumor cell contamination in harvested PBSCs, although its incidence was lower than that in BM samples. We recommend that PBSCs would be better harvested during remission and should be examined for tumor contamination before use as a stem cell source.