The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of paclitaxel in combination with cisplatin and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC). Twenty-seven patients with gynecological cancer received paclitaxel and cisplatin (TP, n = 9) or other platinum-based chemotherapy (n = 18) (etoposide and cisplatin [n = 5]; cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, and cisplatin [n = 8]; or pepleomycin, etoposide, and cysplatin [n = 5]). Each combination was followed by G-CSF. The mean number of colony-forming unit granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM)/kg and CD34+ cells/kg collected per cycle was 1.2 x 105 and 0.8 x 106 after the TP regimen, compared with 2.6 x 105 (P < 0.05) and 2.0 x 106 for patients who received other platinum-based chemotherapy. The CFU-GM target yield (>/=1.0 x 105/kg) was achieved in 56% and 83% patients in the TP and comparison group, respectively. With the TP regimen, a younger age (</=50 years of age) and fewer prior chemotherapy cycles (</=2) were associated with the CFU-GM targeted yield (<0.05). In conclusion, TP mobilized PBPC less effectively than other platinum-based chemotherapy. Therefore, the TP regimen may need to be changed to another appropriate regimen when PBPC mobilization is planned for high-dose chemotherapy in gynecological cancer patients.