A Randomized Study Comparing the Effects of G-CSF and G-CSF/GM-CSF for the Mobilization of Peripheral Blood Stem Cells by Mitoxantrone and High-Dose Cytarabine Chemotherapy

Review Data

Q: Is the topic relevant to the journal area of interest? Is it contemporary and interesting for

researchers?

A: Good

Abstract & Keywords

Q: Are all required components included in the abstract? Are the keywords appropriately chosen?

A: Very Good

Goal

Q: Is the goal explicitly stated in the Introduction? Is its formulation clear and unambiguous?

A: Good

Structure

Q: Is the paper's structure coherent? Is it in coherence with the goal of the paper?

A: Very Good

Tools and Methods

Q: Are methods the author uses adequate and well used?

A: Good

Discussion & Conclusion

Q: Is it related to the results presented before? Do you consider them as coherent?

A: Good

Comments: The Discussion states that peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) mobilization is required to obtain enough CD34⁺ cells and reduce PBSCs harvesting times. The Discussion highlights that the findings of this study have shown total blood volume (TBV) could obtain the threshold dosage required by transplantation and that the hematopoietic function recovered after transplantation. Relevant literature has been cited to support the Discussion. The study concludes that MA chemotherapy, when combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) alone or G-CSF plus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), can safely and effectively mobilize autologous PBSCs, while G-CSF plus GM-CSF is superior to G-CSF alone.

Literature

Q: Does the author utilize relevant literature?

A: Good

Author's knowledge

Q: What is the level of the author’s knowledge? Does the author utilize all recent contributions relevant to the topic?

A: Good

Length

Q: Is the length of the paper adequate to the significance of the topic? Do you suggest shortening the paper without losing its value?

A: Good

Figures & Tables

Q: Does the author use them suitably? Are legend and notations clear?

A: Good

Writing style

Q: Is it clear and understandable?

A: Good

Comments: Except the following errors have been detected:

1.     The 6^th sentence under the subheading Supportive Therapy under Patients and Methods was not framed properly and should be changed to “Ten percent calcium gluconate was injected…. displayed hypocalcemia symptoms, including numbness of the mouths and lips.”

2.     The 3^rd sentence under the subheading PBSCs Unfreezing and Back Perfusion under Patients and Methods was not framed properly and should be changed to “MNCs count and trypan blue drying were performed to determine levels…unfreezing.”

3.     The words “Melphalan”, “dimethylsulfoxide” and “culture” have been misspelled in the text part of the manuscript.

Further comments on the paper

Comments: This randomized study aims at evaluating the efficiency of mitoxantrone (MIT) and high-dose cytarabine (Ara-C) chemotherapy followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and G-CSF/granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) treatments for the mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) in 50 patients with leukemia and lymphoma. It also investigated the efficiency and safety of continuous processing of the patients’ total blood volume. No severe complications were observed during the mobilization and collection. Hematopoietic function disorders were not seen after the follow-up. The study highlights that no deaths occurred due to procedure-related complications during transplantation. The study illustrates the possible reason for mononuclear cells (MNCs) and CD34⁺ cells not reaching the threshold during two successive harvestings may be due to an older patient population and severe myelosuppression. The study concludes that MA chemotherapy combined with G-CSF alone and G-CSF/GM-CSF can safely and effectively mobilize autologous PBSCs, whereas G-CSF plus GM-CSF is superior to G-CSF alone. Large volume leukapheresis is an important technique to enhance the production rate of stem cells and decrease harvesting time. Future studies investigating long-term disease-free survival rate after transplantation are needed.

Q: Would you recommend this manuscript for further publication?

A: Yes - Suitable to be published

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Science Repository Team