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Five to 10% of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) do not have the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph), but one-third of them have rearrangements of the breakpoint cluster region (BCR-positive).The authors analyzed the characteristics, treatment response, and prognosis of 23 patients with BCR-positive, Ph-negative CML, and compared them with patients with Ph-positive CML, Ph-negative BCR-negative CML and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) treated during the same period.Seventeen patients had early chronic phase CML, 3 had late chronic phase, 2 had accelerated phase, and 1 had blastic phase. The median age was 44 years (range, 14-71 years), median platelet count was 402 x 10(9)/l, and median leukocyte count was 86 x 10(9)/l. Fourteen of the 17 patients with early chronic phase CML received alpha-interferon; 12 (86%) achieved complete hematologic remission. Median survival in chronic phase CML was 60 months (range, 3-90+ months). Patients with Ph-negative BCR-positive CML and those with Ph-positive CML had similar characteristics and outcome. Compared with patients with Ph-negative BCR-negative CML and CMML, patients with Ph-negative BCR-positive CML and Ph-positive CML were significantly younger, had a significantly higher incidence of leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, and peripheral and marrow basophilia, and a significantly lower incidence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, marrow blast percent, and peripheral and marrow monocytosis. The median survival was 60 months for Ph-negative BCR-positive CML, 73 months for Ph-positive CML, 25 months for Ph-negative BCR-negative CML, and 9 months for CMML (P0.001). When analyzed adjusting for their stage, patients classified with Ph-negative BCR-positive CML. Stage I disease had a significantly better survival than did patients with Ph-negative BCR-negative CML (P0.02).Patients with Ph-negative BCR-positive CML are similar to those with Ph-positive CML and should be treated with the same approaches.

Many therapeutic modalities have been or are being investigated for the management of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Conventional chemotherapy with hydroxyurea or busulfan continues to be the most widely prescribed modality. Recent data suggest that hydroxyurea is preferred over busulfan on the basis of survival rates, particularly among patients who undergo bone marrow transplantation. To improve on responses associated with interferon-alfa (IFN-alpha) alone, IFN-alpha has been added to drugs with selective activity against CML. Combining low-dose cytosine arabinoside and IFN-alpha improves outcome in patients with late chronic-phase CML. Preliminary results with homoharringtonine as induction therapy followed by the addition of IFN-alpha as maintenance therapy are also promising in patients with early chronic-phase CML. Enthusiasm regarding allogeneic bone marrow transplantation remains high, but there are problems related to paucity of ideal candidates, controversies regarding optimal timing, and some mortality. Interferon-alfa has been used in the immediate posttransplant period to reverse early cytogenetic relapse in a limited number of patients, which suggests that IFN-alpha also may be useful in preventing relapse in high-risk patients. In autologous bone marrow transplantation, there is interest among investigators in reducing the leukemic burden and altering the marrow microenvironment to favor normal hematopoiesis, but the effect of this alternative on survival is not yet known. Results suggest that young patients are candidates for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, whereas older patients should be offered IFN-based therapy initially.

Because in vitro studies have indicated that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulates arabinosylcytosine (ara-C) metabolism in leukemia blasts, we analyzed the pharmacokinetics of ara-C triphosphate (ara-CTP) in the blasts of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia who were undergoing therapy with GM-CSF and ara-C. Patients received a 2-h infusion of 1.0 g/m2 ara-C followed by daily infusions of GM-CSF (125 micrograms/m2/day i.v. over 6 h) for 2-4 days. After the last GM-CSF infusion, a second, identical dose of ara-C was administered. The cellular pharmacokinetics of ara-CTP in circulating blasts were determined during and after each ara-C dose, and the area under the accumulation and elimination curve (AUC) measured over 12 h was compared before and after GM-CSF. Ara-CTP accumulation peaked within 1 h after the end of each ara-C infusion. Comparison of the AUC of ara-CTP before and after GM-CSF administration suggested that in the blasts of three of four patients, GM-CSF treatment decreased the ara-CTP AUC; the AUC values were altered only slightly in a fourth patient. Studies of these patients' blasts incubated in vitro with ara-C before and after clinical infusion of GM-CSF revealed similar ara-CTP accumulation patterns. Together, these studies suggest that 2-4 days of GM-CSF administration does not increase the accumulation of ara-CTP in the circulating blasts from patients in the blastic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

The long-term results in 130 patients with newly diagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia treated with continuous infusion high-dose ara-C (1.5 gm/m2/day x 4 days, CIHDAC) were compared with those in 264 patients treated in previous studies with standard dose ara-C (70-90 mg/m2/d x 7 days) plus either adriamycin (Ad-OAP), or amsacrine (AMSA-OAP). All patients have been followed at least 5 years. Patients in first CR at 5 years (FCR5) treated on protocols prior to CIHDAC had only 5% chance of relapse (median subsequent follow-up of 9 years). Therefore, we considered patients in FCR5 potentially cured. The two groups were similar with respect to known prognostic factors and CR rates. Although remission duration and survival were shorter with CIHDAC than Ad-OAP/AMSA-OAP, the percent of patients potentially cured was similar (10 vs. 15%). Marked differences between regimens were seen in inv(16) and t(15;17) patients. CIHDAC was better for patients with inv(16) with more patients in FCR5 (80 vs. 38%), longer remission duration and survival, and lower incidence of CNS relapse (0 vs. 43%). The Ad-OAP/AMSA-OAP protocols were superior in patients with t(15;17). We also measured steady-state ara-CTP concentrations (ara-CTPss) in 54 CIHDAC-treated patients presenting with high-blast count. While there was no correlation between ara-CTPss and response duration, all five patients in FCR5 in whom ara-CTPss was measured had high concentrations. These data support the concept that patients with AML should be treated differently according to cytogenetics. Inv(16) patients should be treated with high-dose ara-C while t(15;17) should rely more on anthracycline exposure.

Eighteen patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic (9 patients) or advanced phases (9 patients) underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) with a preparative regimen using high doses of cyclophosphamide, etoposide and total body irradiation (CY-VP16-TBI): cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg daily on days 1 and 2; VP16 250 mg/m2 twice daily on days 1-3 and TBI 1020 cGy in six fractionated doses on days 5-7. Autologous marrow cells were reinfused on day 8. Three of the 8 patients in late chronic phase Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome-positive CML (37%) achieved a cytogenetic response, with Ph suppression to 25%, 29% and 44% Ph-positive metaphases, respectively, and lasting for 11, 1 and 3 months, respectively. The median duration of chronic phase following BMT was 26+ months (range 2-33+ months). One patient with Ph-negative, BCR-rearranged, chronic phase CML had a decrease of the BCR-rearranged band to 10% of pretreatment levels, which persisted for 6 months. None of the 9 patients with advanced CML phases (5 in second chronic, 1 in blastic, 3 in accelerated) achieved meaningful cytogenetic responses. Their median survival was 7 months from the time of BMT. Toxicities were mostly related to myelosuppression, particularly thrombocytopenia. Febrile episodes developed in 16 patients (89%). Treatment-related deaths occurred in 2 patients (11%). In summary, autologous BMT using a TBI-containing regimen had acceptable toxicity. Future investigations will evaluate the additional benefit of purged autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with chronic phase CML.

The mechanisms of extramedullary leukemic infiltration are not well characterized. The cell-surface glycoprotein CD56, which is identical to the neural cell adhesion molecule, may be involved. Using the Leu-19 antibody and flow cytometric methods, the leukemic blasts of 22% (70 of 314) of patients were CD56 positive. This was most common in acute monocytic leukemia (15 of 18, 83%) and in patients with the cytogenetic abnormalities t(8;21) (seven of 13, 54%) and trisomy 8 (nine of 22, 41%). CD56 expression was not associated with extramedullary leukemic infiltration, but was correlated with positivity for CD11b (p0.001), CD14 (p0.001) and CD19 (p = 0.018). Although associated with morphologic and cytogenetic features, CD56 expression alone cannot account for most instances of tissue infiltration in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The prognosis of adults with acute lymphocytic leukemia has improved over the last two decades. With modern intensive chemotherapy regimens similar to those of pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia, the complete response rate is 75% to 85%, with a long-term, disease-free survival rate of 20% to 35%. We review the clinical, laboratory, and prognostic features of adult acute lymphocytic leukemia and discuss the results of therapy.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) who exhibited myeloperoxidase-positive blasts by electron microscopy (EM-MPO-positive), and assess their response to therapy and their prognosis. Since 1988, 21 adults with newly-diagnosed ALL and EM-MPO-positive blasts were referred to our service. In addition to documentation of their clinical and hematopathologic characteristics, patients underwent cytogenetic, immunophenotypic, molecular, and electron-microscopic evaluations. Twenty patients were treated with the vincristine-Adriamycin-dexamethasone (VAD) regimen, and one patient was induced with amsacrine and high-dose cytosine arabinoside (ara-C). The 21 patients were among 141 patients with ALL (15%) seen during the same period. Their median age was 46 years (range 15 to 77 years). The immunophenotype was T-cell ALL in 12 patients (57%). Karyotypic studies did not demonstrate specific recurrent abnormalities. The median percentage of EM-MPO-positive blasts was 15% (range 3% to 45%). Eighteen patients (85%) had high-risk ALL. With induction chemotherapy 15 of 20 (75%) receiving VAD therapy achieved a complete remission (CR). However, the median CR duration was 18 months, and the median survival was 18 months with a 3-year disease-free survival rate of 25%. There were eight relapses and one lineage switch to acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Patients with ALL and EM-MPO-positive disease are a unique subgroup with long-term poor prognosis on conventional anti-ALL therapy, and may benefit from intensification treatments with agents effective against AML.

The efficacy of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in reducing neutropenia and its associated complications in adults with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) undergoing intensive chemotherapy in first remission was evaluated.Fourteen adult patients with ALL in first remission received intensive chemotherapy consisting of mitoxantrone 5 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) over 1 hour daily for 3 days, cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) 3 g/m2 IV over 2 hours every 12 hours x 4 on days 1 and 2, vincristine 2 mg IV on day 1, solumedrol 50 mg IV twice daily for 5 days, and G-CSF 5 micrograms/kg subcutaneously daily starting on day 4 until granulocyte recovery. Their outcome was compared with that of 14 consecutive patients who received the same intensification chemotherapy, but without G-CSF. The latter patients had been entered on the same ALL protocol from April 1990 through June 1991.G-CSF administration was associated with a significant shortening in the duration of neutropenia. The number of days to granulocyte recovery above 0.5 x 10(3)/microliters was 14 in the G-CSF group versus 18 days in the historical group (P0.001). Two episodes of documented infections were observed in the G-CSF group compared with four episodes in the historical group. Death during intensification therapy occurred in 2 of 14 patients in the historical group, but in none of the 14 patients receiving G-CSF.G-CSF as an adjunct to intensive chemotherapy in adults with ALL in first remission yielded positive results. Future studies incorporating growth factors supportive care during remission, induction, and consolidation may reduce treatment-related morbidity and mortality, increase the dose-intensity delivery of therapy, and potentially improve patient outcome.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a chronic B-cell malignancy, typically seen in middle-aged men, characterized by pancytopenia, splenomegaly, immunologic abnormalities, and morphologically typical neoplastic mononuclear cells in the blood, bone marrow, liver, spleen, and other tissues. Diagnosis is confirmed by demonstration of hairy cells in biopsy specimens from the bone marrow or spleen or in peripheral blood. The natural history of this lymphoproliferative disorder varies. Patients may die early during the initial phase of therapy; others may require no therapy; and for some, splenectomy alone, without further treatment, may suffice for many years. Recently, the nucleosides pentostatin (2'-deoxycoformycin) (DCF) and 2'-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) have been shown to produce greater numbers of durable complete remissions with curative potential in patients with HCL. The treatment options, with emphasis on major therapeutic advances with alpha-interferon, DCF, and 2-CdA, are reviewed in this article.Studies on HCL published from 1958 to 1992 were reviewed using the Cancerline and Medline retrieval systems and other bibliographies.Management of HCL has changed in the last decade as a result of three new effective agents: alpha-interferon DCF, and 2-CdA. DCF has produced an overall response rate of 86% and a complete remission rate of 62%. 2-CdA has yielded an overall response rate of 95% and a complete remission rate of 82%. Alpha-interferon has given an overall response rate of 82% and a complete remission rate of 8%. Other agents with limited activities include chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, vincristine, doxorubicin, and zorubicin hydrochloride. The effects of lithium carbonate, immunotherapy, splenic irradiation, androgens, and leukaphoresis are minimal and transient.Modern management of HCL with 2-CdA and DCF is now potentially curative rather than palliative in some patients; however, the optimal therapeutic approach remains uncertain. Alpha-interferon has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as the first-line drug therapy, followed by DCF in non-responding patients. 2-CdA remains an experimental therapy, but its higher response rate and ease of administration may make it the first-line treatment of choice. Additional research into the biology of HCL and further clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal treatment strategy for this disorder. Therefore, the best therapeutic approach at the current time is to include patients with HCL in ongoing clinical trials.

A staging system was proposed for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that groups patients into three stages (I, II, and III), each with two subclasses (A and B). The system uses pathologic parameters, of which the percentage of blasts in the blood and bone marrow is the most important. CML is defined as a myeloproliferative disorder with molecular or cytogenetic evidence of the translocation of the abl oncogene on chromosome 9 to the break-point cluster region gene on chromosome 22. The proposed staging system is similar to format to the standard TNM system used for many solid tumors.

The purpose of this study was to define, in a phase I study in leukemia, the maximally tolerated dose (MTD), major toxicities, and possible antitumor activity of Topotecan, a new topoisomerase I (topo I) inhibitor. Topotecan was delivered by a 5-day continuous infusion every 3 to 4 weeks to patients with refractory or relapsed acute leukemia, at doses ranging from 3.5 mg/m2 to 18 mg/m2 per course. Twenty-seven patients were treated, including 17 patients with acute myelogenous or undifferentiated leukemia, 7 with acute lymphocytic leukemia, and 3 with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blastic phase. Severe mucositis was the dose-limiting toxicity occurring in two of five patients treated with Topotecan 11.8 mg/m2 per course; a third patient had prolonged myelosuppression. At the MTD of 10 mg/m2 per course, 1 of 12 patients had severe mucositis and 5 had mild-to-moderate mucositis. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and prolonged myelosuppression were uncommon. Three patients (11%) achieved a complete response, two (7%) had a partial response, and one (4%) had a hematologic improvement. The overall complete plus partial response rate was 19%, and 24% in acute myelogenous or undifferentiated leukemia. A novel in vitro assay that quantifies Topotecan-stabilized topo I-DNA complexes in patient samples was used, which demonstrated heterogeneity in the ability of Topotecan to interact with topo I, the intracellular target of Topotecan. This phase I study defined the MTD of Topotecan to be 10 mg/m2 by continuous infusion over 5 days every 3 to 4 weeks in patients with refractory or relapsed acute leukemia. Severe mucositis was the dose-limiting toxicity. Future studies will define the precise activity of Topotecan in different leukemia subsets, its efficacy in combination with other antileukemic drugs, and correlations between Topotecan-induced topo I-DNA complex formation and individual patient response to Topotecan.

Interferon-alpha produces a complete hematologic and cytogenetic remission in approximately 20% of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). In this study, we applied fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) methodology to examine the possibility that a low level of proliferating Philadelphia-chromosome-positive (Ph+) cells may be present in interferon-treated CML patients who have achieved complete cytogenetic remission (as defined by the absence of Ph chromosome in 20-25 metaphases analyzed). Ten such patients in remission for 6-35 months were studied by this technique, in which a chromosome-22-specific DNA painting probe was used to detect leukemic cells with the characteristic 9;22 chromosomal translocation. In six of the 10 patients (60%), 3-9% Ph+ metaphases were detected. No Ph+ cells were observed in nine control individuals. Thus, this study demonstrates that FISH technology is more sensitive than conventional cytogenetic analysis for the detection of minimal residual disease in CML.

The increasing incidence of therapy-related leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome reflects (1) a longer period at risk resulting from successful treatment of solid tumors; (2) more intensive treatment regimens combining high-dose chemotherapy and irradiation; (3) broader utilization of adjuvant chemoirradiation in melanoma, colon, lung, breast, and head and neck cancers; and (4) environmental pollution and widespread exposure to chemicals and carcinogens in industrialized nations. The availability of novel therapies, including growth factors, has increased the referral of these patients to comprehensive cancer centers, partially explaining the increased awareness of the entity.

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a cytokine with pleiotropic activities. In normal bone marrow cultures grown in the presence of either granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-4 suppresses granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (CFU-GM) proliferation but it enhances the colony-stimulatory effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). We studied the effect of IL-4 on chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) bone marrow or peripheral blood cells from 30 patients using the CFU-granulocyte-erythrocyte-monocyte-megakaryocyte colony culture assay. In several repetitive experiments, IL-4 inhibited CFU-GM colony replication by 24 to 65% in a dose-dependent fashion at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 10 micrograms/ml when patients' cells were cultured in the presence of erythropoietin alone or with phytohemagglutinin-conditioned medium, GM-CSF, or IL-3. The addition of 100 U/ml of IL-1 beta to the CML cultures partially reversed the inhibitory effect of IL-4. Incubation of CML low-density peripheral blood cells with IL-4 resulted in down-regulation of IL-1 beta and IL-6 production in three of four samples, suggesting that the suppressive effect of IL-4 is mediated by inhibition of IL-1 and by other mechanisms including inhibition of IL-6 production. In contrast to the stimulatory effect exerted by IL-4 on G-CSF-dependent CFU-GM progenitor proliferation in normal marrow, the addition of IL-4 to CML cultures grown in the presence of G-CSF resulted in a divergent effect: suppression of CML CFU-GM in two, stimulation in three, and no significant effect in two CML patients' samples. It is therefore possible that IL-4 may have an in vivo antiproliferative effect in a subpopulation of CML patients.

To determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in the lymphoid blastic phase.Data from 296 patients with CML blastic-phase disease who were referred to our institution between 1967 and 1991 were analyzed. Sixty-eight patients had CML lymphoid blastic-phase disease. Pretreatment characteristics, responses to different therapies, and survival rates were evaluated.Compared with patients having myeloid or undifferentiated blastic-phase disease, those with lymphoid morphology were significantly younger, presented with significantly lesser degrees of anemia, lower white blood cell and peripheral blast counts, higher percentages of marrow blasts, lower lactic dehydrogenase levels, and higher albumin levels. Accelerated-phase CML preceded the blastic phase in 40% of patients with lymphoid disease, compared with 54% of those with other morphologic findings (p = 0.03). The common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigen (CALLA) was expressed on lymphoid blasts in 97% of patients. The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was similar in the three morphologic categories, although patients with lymphoid disease tended to have a lower incidence of trisomy 8 (17% versus 27%; p = 0.10) and of isochromosome 17 abnormalities (10% versus 17%; p not significant). The incidence of lymphoid blastic phase disease has not increased over the past decade, and it is not higher in patients with the chronic phase of the disease treated with alpha interferon. Patients with lymphoid disease had a significantly higher response rate to chemotherapy during the first salvage (49% versus below 20% for other morphologies; p0.001), particularly with vincristine, Adriamycin, and dexamethasone therapy (complete response rate of 61%). Survival during the blastic phase of the disease was also significantly longer in patients with lymphoid morphology than in those with other morphologies (median survival of 9 months versus 3 months; p = 0.01). The benefit associated with lymphoid blastic-phase morphology is brief, and plans for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation or experimental maintenance or consolidation programs should be implemented rapidly.Patients with CML lymphoid blastic-phase disease have different clinical and laboratory features than patients with other blastic-phase morphologies. In patients developing CML blastic-phase disease, distinguishing those with lymphoid transformation is extremely important because of the different therapeutic requirements (acute lymphocytic leukemia-type therapy) and prognostic implications.

Bone marrow samples collected from acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) patients in complete clinical and hematological remission were studied for the persistence of cytogenetic abnormalities. AML patients from the three favorable cytogenetic categories [inv 16, t(8;21) and t(15;17)] and patients from the unfavorable cytogenetic categories (+8, -5, -7 and Philadelphia-positive) were studied. Seventy-one patients had evaluable metaphase spreads in remission marrows and 20 (28%) had one or more abnormal metaphases identical to that present in the pretreatment marrow. All 20 of these patients relapsed within 78 weeks, thus there were no false positive studies. Fifty-one patients had only diploid metaphases in their complete remission marrow, 25 relapsed, and 21 remained in continuous complete remission. Thus there was a 49% false negative rate of this study. These data indicate that the failure to detect residual chromosomally abnormal cells in the bone marrow does not guarantee continuous complete remission. Cytogenetic study was most useful in the favorable cytogenetic groups and least useful in the unfavorable groups. The persistence of normal metaphases in pretreatment marrows did not affect outcome or risk of recurrence. Twenty-five of 34 evaluable patients who relapsed after remission had either the identical cytogenetic abnormality present in the pretreatment marrow or showed the identical abnormality with additional chromosomal changes. Thus study indicates that cytogenetic examinations of complete remission bone marrow samples in patients with AML provides an objective method for detecting residual leukemia, and identifies patients with a potential for prolonged disease-free survival.

We administered one course of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2CdA) at 4 mg/m2 daily for 7 days by continuous intravenous infusion to 46 patients with hairy cell leukemia. Complete remissions occurred in 36 patients (78%; 95% confidence limits, 63% to 89%), partial remissions in five (11%), and a minor response in one. One patient died of candida sepsis 3 weeks after beginning treatment and three patients were clearly resistant to therapy. These three either had morphologically atypical hairy cells, less than 20% of which expressed Ig light chain on the cell surface, or had failed prior treatment with deoxycoformycin and interferon-alpha. At a median of 37 weeks since discontinuation of therapy, recurrent thrombocytopenia has developed in one patient, whose marrow remains normal, while a bone marrow relapse has occurred in another patient, whose blood counts remain normal. Treatment produced a greater than 50% decrease in neutrophil count in 26 patients, which lasted 3 to 4 weeks and was associated with an increased incidence of febrile episodes. These episodes occurred in 21 patients but were associated with documented infection in only four patients. Decreases in the number of CD4+ lymphocytes appeared to occur regularly after treatment and have persisted for a median of 18 weeks without obvious clinical significance. Although years of follow-up will be needed, our results confirm Piro et al's observation (N Engl J Med 322: 1117, 1990) that 2CdA appears to be highly effective in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia.

Thirty-four adults with refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia received salvage therapy with mitoxantrone 5 mg/m2 intravenously over 1 hour daily for 5 days and cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) 3 g/m2 intravenously over 2 hours every 12 hours for six doses, followed by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) 125 microgram/m2 intravenously over 4 hours daily until recovery of granulocytes above 2.0 x 10(3)/microL. Their outcome was compared with 29 prognostically similar historical control patients treated with the identical chemotherapy without GM-CSF. Overall, the complete response rates were similar in the treatment and control groups (13 of 34 [38%] v 11 of 29 [38%]). There was a trend for less remission induction mortality in the GM-CSF-treated patients (2 of 34 [6%] v 6 of 29 [21%]; P = .08), but, conversely, a higher rate of resistant disease (19 of 34 [56%] v 10 of 29 [34%]; P = .09). Recovery of granulocyte counts above 500/microL was significantly faster in the GM-CSF-treated group (25 days v 33 days; P less than .01), but there was no reduction in the incidence of febrile episodes (91% v 93%) or of documented infections (59% v 59%). Survival was prolonged in the GM-CSF-treated patients but was not of clinical relevance (31 v 20 weeks; P = .05). In summary, the addition of GM-CSF to intensive chemotherapy in refractory adult ALL was associated with a reduction in the remission induction mortality, probably secondary to a shorter duration of granulocytopenia, but not with an improvement in complete response rates.

We investigated the significance of p210 and p190 molecular abnormalities in 32 adults with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive acute leukemia. p210 was detected in 15 patients (47%), p190 in 16 (50%), and both in one (3%). p210 was noted in 11 of 24 patients (46%) with acute lymphocytic leukemia, and in four of eight patients (50%) with acute myelogenous or undifferentiated leukemia. Among 29 patients with untreated disease (p210, 14 patients; p190, 15 patients), no significant differences in the two molecularly distinct groups were observed by pretreatment characteristics including age, degree of organomegaly, anemia, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, occurrence of karyotypic abnormalities in addition to Ph, or residual diploid metaphases. Complete response (CR) rates were also similar. Although the remission duration tended to be longer with p190 (P = .08), the differences were minor (median duration 29 v 20 weeks) and not paralleled by differences in survival rate. In 10 patients studied by karyotypic analysis in remission, two of four patients with p190 and two of six patients with p210 showed 100% normal metaphases. One of the seven patients (14%) with p210 who achieved CR manifested a morphologic picture of second chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia lasting for 1 month. We conclude that the molecular studies in Ph-positive acute leukemia are not associated with significantly different clinico-laboratory, karyotypic, or prognostic implications.

Fifteen patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) who were ineligible for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or alpha-interferon therapy were included in this study. Eight patients were in the first late chronic phase, five were in the second chronic phase, one was in the accelerated phase, and one was in the blastic phase. Autologous bone marrow cells (median, 2.5 x 10(8) nucleated cells/kg) were stored at a median of 30 months after diagnosis. Patients were treated with cyclophosphamide (1.5 g/m2 daily for 4 days), carmustine (BCNU) (300 mg/m2), and etoposide (VP-16) (250 mg/m2 daily for 3 days) (CBV), followed by reinfusion of autologous bone marrow. Hematopoietic recovery was rapid, and toxicity was mild to moderate in 14 patients. One patient died of cytomegalovirus pneumonitis. Eight of 15 patients showed Ph suppression to less than 90% Ph-positive metaphases after autologous BMT. Major cytogenetic responses (Ph suppression to less than 35% Ph-positive metaphases) developed in four patients. Cytogenetic responses were observed in 4 of 11 patients infused with 100% Ph-positive marrows, and in all 4 patients infused with Ph-mosaic marrows (mixture of diploid and Ph-positive cells). Better results were observed when autologous BMT was performed in the chronic phase compared with the advanced phases. The major cytogenetic responses have lasted for 3, 4, 12, and 15+ months, whereas minor cytogenetic responses lasted for only a short time (less than 2 months). Three of seven patients (43%) in the chronic phase with previous resistance to alpha-interferon therapy became sensitive to alpha-interferon therapy after autologous BMT. The authors concluded that intensive chemotherapy followed by autologous BMT produced cytogenetic remissions in patients with Ph-positive CML and reinduced disease sensitivity to alpha-interferon therapy in patients previously resistant to it. This is particularly useful when treatment is given during the chronic phase and stem cells are collected at a time of previous cytogenetic remission.

This study evaluated the efficacy of fludarabine, a new adenine nucleoside analogue, in typical and variant forms of hairy cell leukemia (HCL). Two patients with HCL and one patient with a variant form of HCL (HCL-variant) with resistant or progressive disease with prior treatments were studied. Fludarabine (30 mg/m2) was administered intravenously over 30 minutes daily for 5 days every month. Two patients (one with HCL and one with HCL-variant) achieved partial responses; the third patient had a minor response. This is the first report of encouraging activity of fludarabine in typical and variant forms of HCL. Further experience with fludarabine in these disorders is indicated.

The promising results obtained with Fludara I.V. (fludarabine phosphate) treatment in the common indolent B-cell neoplasms have led to their further evaluation in other unusual B-cell malignancies, in Hodgkin's disease, and in T-cell diseases. A significant response rate has been found among patients with macroglobulinemic lymphoma, those with prolymphocytic leukemia or prolymphocytoid variant of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and those with mycosis fungoides. The limited therapeutic data in hairy-cell leukemia and in Hodgkin's disease are also interesting.

Seven adult patients with untreated acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) who manifested 5% to 40% myeloperoxidase (MPO)-positive blasts by electron microscopy (EM) are reported. Six patients had an L2 morphology, and one had an L1 morphology by the French-American-British (FAB) classification. The immunophenotype was T cell in four patients. Molecular analysis showed rearrangement of the immunoglobulin JH in four patients, three of them also having rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta or gamma. Induction chemotherapy with vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone (VAD) produced a complete remission in five of six patients (83%). Our findings suggest the existence of a previously undescribed subtype of mixed-lineage leukemia, which by morphology and immunophenotype often appears as T-cell ALL but exhibits MPO-positive blasts by EM.

We administered recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (120 micrograms/m2/d by continuous intravenous [IV] infusion) to 12 patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at relatively high risk of early death during remission induction. GM-CSF began 3 days after completion of induction chemotherapy (ara-C 1.5 g/m2 d x 4 days by continuous IV infusion after a 3 g/m2 bolus). Rates of fatal infection (42%), pneumonia and/or sepsis (83%), and CR (50%) did not differ significantly (P less than .05) from those observed after administration of the identical chemotherapy without GM-CSF to 53 historical controls with newly diagnosed AML at similarly high risk of early death. There were no significant differences between the GM-CSF-treated and the historical groups in the time required to reach neutrophil counts of 500 or 1,000/microL after administration of chemotherapy. Four patients died of infection before they could have benefited from the earliest recovery of neutrophil count observed in patients who entered CR. Growth of leukemia after GM-CSF administration was observed in only 1 of the 8 patients who survived long enough for response to induction therapy to be fully evaluated. This observation suggests that it might be safe to undertake larger, randomized studies, perhaps using earlier administration of GM-CSF, to definitively determine the role of GM-CSF added to chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed AML.

Twenty-five adult patients with refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia received salvage therapy with mitoxantrone 5 mg/m2 intravenously over 1 hour daily for 5 days and cytosine arabinoside 3 g/m2 intravenously over 2 hours every 12 hours for six doses. Overall, nine patients (36%) achieved complete remission, eight (32%) died during induction, and eight (32%) had resistant disease. No significant associations were found between pretreatment patient characteristics and remission. Remission durations toxic effects were related to myelosuppression. Febrile episodes requiring hospitalization occurred in 23 patients (92%), including five episodes of fever of unknown origin (20%) and 18 episodes of documented infections (72%). The authors conclude that the combination of mitoxantrone and high-dose cytosine arabinoside has significant activity in adults with refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia. The addition of colony-stimulating growth factors to the intensive chemotherapy, and the use of the combination regimen as part of front-line maintenance intensification therapy may further improve the prognosis in these patients.

We gave 4 days of high-dose Ara-C followed 2 days later by rHUGM-CSF (which continued until the neutrophil count was greater than 1000/microliters) to 12 patients with newly diagnosed AML and a relatively poor prognosis. Six CRs occurred, there were four deaths during induction, and in only one case was there an rHUGM-CSF-associated growth of leukemia. The pattern of hematologic recovery was variable but in some patients rHUGM-CSF seemed to accelerate normal myelopoiesis following chemotherapy. Continued investigation of rHUGM-CSF and chemotherapy in AML is warranted.

7026 Background: CML-AP is often associated with imatinib-resistance and the occurrence of BCR-ABL mutations. This phase II open-label study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Nilotinib, a potent novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in imatinib-resistant or - intolerant CML-AP pts. Methods: Imatinib-resistance and -intolerance were defined using standard criteria, and all resistant pts failed imatinib >/= 600mg/day. Primary endpoint was a confirmed hematologic response (HR) determined by conventional ITT analysis. Nilotinib was started at 400mg BID and escalated to 600mg BID for inadequate responses. Results: Safety and efficacy are reported for first 64 consecutively enrolled pts completing >/= 8 mos treatment. 52 (81%) were imatinib-resistant; 12 (19%) -intolerant. Median duration of CML was 74 mos; median duration of prior imatinib use was 28 mos. Median duration of nilotinib exposure was 208 days; median average dose intensity (mg/days) was 787. Median cumulative duration of dose interruption was 23 days. Treatment is ongoing for 27 (42%) pts; 37 (58%) have discontinued (9 for AEs; 17 for disease progression). HR occurred in 38 (59%) pts, of which 15 (23%) were complete, 8 (13%) were marrow responses, and 15 (23%) returned to chronic phase. MCyR occurred in 23 (36%) pts; 14 (22%) were complete and 9 (14%) were partial. 6 (9%) pts did not respond; 5 (8%) pts had disease progression. Median time to HR was 1.0 (1–3) mos and to MCyR was 2.0 (1–8) mos. Estimated 1-yr survival rate was 69% and median duration of HR has not been reached. The most common Grade 3/4 AEs included neutropenia (45%), thrombocytopenia (40%), asymptomatic lipase elevations (17%), and anemia (16%) pts. No pts experienced Grade 3/4 peripheral edema, or pleural/pericardial effusions; 2 pts had pulmonary edema. Conclusion: In pts with CML-AP, nilotinib is an effective therapeutic option in CML-AP pts with imatinib-resistance or -intolerance and is generally well tolerated with acceptable rates of myelosuppression and minimal non- hematologic toxicities. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

6534 Background: AMN107 is a potent, highly selective, aminopyrimidine inhibitor which in vitro is 30-fold more potent than imatinib and active against 32/33 imatinib resistant Bcr-Abl mutations. Methods: This open-label study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AMN107 (400 mg bid) defined by hematologic/cytogenetic response (HR/CyR) rates in imatinib resistant or intolerant CP pts. Results: For this study which remains open to enrollment, preliminary data are reported for 67 pts including 39 (58%) with imatinib-resistant and 27 (40%) imatinib-intolerant CML (1 pt unknown). The median age was 62 (range 31–80) yrs and the median time from first diagnosis to treatment was 52 (range 5–279) mos. BCR-ABL mutations associated with imatinib resistance were detected in 11/17 (65%) pts at baseline. The median duration of AMN107 exposure was 129 (range 3–225) days. Treatment is ongoing for 50 (75%) pts with 17 (25%) pts discontinued (9 adverse events, 2 disease progression, 6 other). Major CyR was observed in 13 (19%) pts (6 complete, 7 partial), minor CyR was observed in 4 (17%) pts, and minimal CyR in 5 (7%) pts. Complete HR was reported in 35 of 42 (83%) pts without a baseline CHR. AE’s in ≥ 10% of pts were headache in 24 (36%) pts, fatigue in 21 (31%) pts (Gr 3/4 in 2 (3%)), pruritus in 19 (28.4%) pts (Gr 3/4 in 1 (2%)), rash in 18 (27%) pts (Gr 3/4 in 2 (3%)), nausea in 18 (27%) pts, diarrhea in 18 (27%) pts (Gr 3/4 in 1 (2%)), constipation in 11 (16%) pts, vomiting in 10 (15%) pts, thrombocytopenia in 10 (15%) pts (Gr 3/4 in 9 (13%)), anemia in 10 (14.9%) pts (Gr 3/4, 1 (2%)), neutropenia in 9 (13%) pts (Gr 3/4 in 8 (12%)), bone pain, muscle spasms, arthralgia, peripheral edema in 8 (12%) pts each, abdominal pain and myalgia in 7 (10%) pts each (Gr 3/4 in 1 (2%) each), and dyspnea in 7 (10%) pts. No deaths occurred. Conclusions: AMN107 has clinical activity and an acceptable safety and tolerability in pts with imatinib-resistant or intolerant CML-CP. [Table: see text]

The prognostic importance of patient pretreatment clinical and laboratory features was investigated in a group of 303 patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive benign-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia. Intensive chemotherapy was given to 97 patients, and 78 underwent an early elective splenectomy. The overall median survival time, dated from hospital admission, was 39 months. Patient characteristics associated with shortened survival were age 60 years or older, black race, the presence of hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, symptoms, weight loss, and poor performance status. Adverse blood and bone marrow parameters were anemia, thrombocytosis or thrombocytopenia, a high proportion of peripheral blasts plus promyelocytes or of basophils, a high proportion of marrow blasts or basophils, decreased marrow megakaryocytes, and cytogenetic abnormalities in addition to the Philadelphia chromosome. Several of these factors were interrelated. A multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that the combination blood basophilia, race, additional cytogenetic abnormalities, age and marrow basophilia had the strongest predictive relationship to survival time. This resulted in a model segregating patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, with median survivals of 53, 39, and 25 months, respectively. Another model was derived that did not include the marrow features and identified splenomegaly and platelet counts as adding to the prognosis prediction by blood basophilia, race, and age. Evaluation of the effect of therapy, after adjusting for differences in prognostic characteristics, showed that intensive chemotherapy was associated with survival prolongation among patients at intermediate and high risk of death. We conclude that a combination of pretreatment factors identifies different risk subcategories in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and is helpful in assessing overall prognosis and treatment effect.

The Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) involves reciprocal translocation of the bcr gene and the c-abl oncogene. The fused bcr/abl gene is transcribed into two types of chimeric mRNA. By means of a combined method of S1 nuclease protection and polymerase chain reaction, we amplified sequences representative of the chimeric bcr/abl transcripts. Only 5 micrograms of total cellular RNA is needed and the chimeric bcr/abl message can be detected at a dilution of 1:100,000. We also detected residual chimeric bcr/abl transcripts in the remission samples from two Ph1-positive CML patients. This technique has the potential to identify a subpopulation of Ph1-positive CML patients in remission who are at high risk of relapse.

In a study using human IFN-alpha, 36 of 51 patients with chronic phase CML achieved a complete hematologic remission. More significantly, 20 patients showed suppression of Ph-positive metaphases with reappearance of cells with normal karyotype. To date, the authors have treated 44 chronic phase CML patients with recombinant IFN-alpha as their frontline biologic therapy with similar hematologic and cytogenetic responses. Gamma interferon is active against CML but less so than IFN-alpha. Chemotherapy followed by IFN-alpha also shows promise. Interferons have produced only limited responses in terminal phase CML patients.

Although collagen myelofibrosis indicates poor prognosis in late stages of chronic myelogenous leukemia, the significance of reticulin stain-measured fibrosis in newly diagnosed patients is unknown. One hundred and thirty-eight patients with untreated or minimally treated chronic phase Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia had reticulin stain studies made on their bone marrows at diagnosis. Reticulin fibrosis was graded on a scale of 1 to 4. Significant (Grade 3 or 4) fibrosis was noted in 65 patients (47%). Compared with patients with mild (Grade 1 to 2) reticulin fibrosis, those with significant fibrosis had a higher incidence of splenomegaly greater than or equal to 10 cm (29% versus 49%; P = 0.02), hemoglobin less than 10 g/dl (19% versus 49%; P less than 0.01), weight loss greater than or equal to 6.75 kg (10% versus 30%; P = 0.11), marrow blasts greater than or equal to 5% (7% versus 28%; P less than 0.01), peripheral blasts greater than or equal to 3% (30% versus 46%; P = 0.09), and additional karyotypic abnormalities (1% versus 17%; P less than 0.01). The incidence of thrombocytosis was similar in the two groups. Prognostically, median survival was significantly shorter for the 26 patients with Grade 4, compared with the 39 patients with Grade 3, and the 73 patients with Grade 1 or 2 reticulin fibrosis (32 versus 49 versus 57 months; P = 0.03). Reticulin fibrosis is a useful biologic and prognostic index in newly diagnosed patients with chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Sixty-four adult patients with refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) received salvage therapy with the vincristine, doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), and dexamethasone (VAD) regimen consisting of induction chemotherapy with the three agents followed by multiple-agent maintenance therapy for 2 years. Overall, 25 patients (39%) achieved complete remission. The median remission duration was 28 weeks with 20% of these patients remaining disease-free at 2 years. The median overall survival was 23 weeks. Prognostic factors associated with differences in remission rates included patient performance status, hemoglobin and platelet levels, and degree of peripheral and marrow blastosis. Factors related to differences in survival were patient age and performance status, hemoglobin and platelet levels, percentage of peripheral blasts, and albumin and bilirubin levels. The toxicity of the regimen was minimal, with 33% of patients requiring hospitalization because of febrile episodes of unknown origin (17%) or documented infections (16%). Therapy-related mortality occurred in four patients (6%). We conclude that the VAD program has significant antileukemic efficacy and acceptable toxicity in adult salvage ALL.

The effect of maintenance chemotherapy on remission duration was analyzed in 39 of 70 patients (56%) with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) who achieved complete remission on induction chemotherapy. Overall, the median remission duration was 26 months, with a 3-year remission rate of 42%. The 3-year remission rate was significantly higher in patients who received 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate (POMP) during maintenance, compared with those who did not (56% versus 30%; P less than 0.01), and in patients who received long-term maintenance therapy (P less than 0.01). A multivariate regression analysis selected maintenance therapy with POMP to be the only statistically significant factor associated with long-term remission duration. The type of maintenance chemotherapy is important in overall prognosis of patients with APL, and should be investigated further.

The results of treatment for acute leukemia since 1973 in 87 patients aged 70 years or more are summarized. The overall complete remission rate was 27/78 (35%) in acute myelogenous leukemia and 5/9 (56%) in acute lymphocytic leukemia or acute undifferentiated leukemia for cytosine arabinoside combined with either anthracyclines (rubidazone or Adriamycin [doxorubicin]) or m-AMSA (amsacrine). The remission duration was short with a median of 33 weeks, and the median overall survival was only 6 weeks. Those patients without identifiable infection, liver enlargement, and a serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase less than or equal to 40 U/ml constituted a more favorable subgroup. Although the complete remission rate improved further research is needed to develop effective maintenance strategies.

A patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blastic crisis who developed pulmonary and systemic infection with Cunninghamella species is described. The emerging role of this newly recognized pathogen in immunocompromised patients is discussed.

Twenty-seven patients in the blastic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia received combination chemotherapy with mitoxantrone 5 mg/m2 intravenously daily for 5 days, and cytosine arabinoside 3 g/m2 intravenously over 2 hours every 12 hours for six doses. The patients' median age was 42 years (range, 19-61 years), and 26 of them had Philadelphia chromosome-positive disease. Overall, seven patients (26%) achieved complete remission, and one (4%) had a partial remission for an overall response rate of 30%. Eight patients died during remission induction, and 11 had resistant disease. The median survival was 14 weeks for the total population, and 24 weeks for patients achieving a complete remission. The nonmyelosuppressive toxicity of the combination was acceptable; serious neurologic and pulmonary toxicities were uncommon. Significant marrow hypoplasia was observed resulting in a high incidence of febrile episodes (85% of patients). The combination of mitoxantrone and high-dose cytosine arabinoside did not significantly improve overall prognosis. Since chemotherapy continues to produce disappointing results, other innovative approaches need to be explored.

In an effort to develop a new tumor marker suitable for flow cytometric analysis, we examined the value of double-stranded ribonucleic acid (ds-RNA) measurements using propidium iodide after DN'ase treatment. Cellular ds-RNA content was evaluated both in experimental cell lines and in clinical specimens. Higher levels of ds-RNA were present in tumor cells as compared with normal cells. In tumor cells, fluorescence was intensely localized in the nucleolus and was more diffuse in the cytoplasm. Change of less than 10% in the ds-RNA levels was observed in cell lines as a function of cytokinetic determinants such as cycle phase, culture age, and cycle traverse rate. Tumor differentiation by dimethylsulfoxide resulted in a significant decrease in cellular ds-RNA content. For quantitative comparison of clinical material, a ds-RNA excess was defined in relationship to normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. ds-RNA excess greater than 30% was observed in only one of 34 normal tissues (3%) as compared with 124 of 201 neoplastic tissue samples (62%). This incidence was higher in patients with acute leukemia (76%), high-grade and intermediate-grade lymphoma (75%), and high tumor stage myeloma (83%), as compared with chronic leukemia (20%), low-grade lymphoma (25%), and intermediate or low tumor mass myeloma (43%). Prognostically, a high pretreatment ds-RNA excess in myeloma was associated with a lower remission rate. The persistence of ds-RNA excess in the bone marrow of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia in remission predicted for a shorter remission duration (seven v 22 months; P = .05). We conclude that ds-RNA excess, as readily measured objectively and quantitatively by flow cytometry, may have important diagnostic and prognostic implications for the management of patients with malignant disease.

To evaluate the effect of long-term culture on the Philadelphia chromosome-positive nonadherent hemopoietic clone in chronic myelogenous leukemia, bone marrow aspirates from five patients were grown in culture for three to four weeks. In addition to control cultures, samples were incubated with recombinant alpha-interferon. Cytogenetic studies performed on the nonadherent hemopoietic cells demonstrated suppression of the Philadelphia chromosome-positive clones, and appearance of cells with normal diploid karyotype in two of the five patients studied; cells from the remaining three patients showed persistent Philadelphia chromosome-positive cells in 100% of the metaphases. Exposure to alpha-interferon did not enhance the suppression of the Philadelphia chromosome-positive clones. A good correlation was noted between in vitro results and in vivo cytogenetic response: the two patients whose in vitro studies showed diploid clones achieved complete hematologic remission and suppression of Philadelphia chromosome-positive metaphases with therapy. Our data suggest that long-term culture favors the growth of normal clones over Philadelphia chromosome-positive clones in the nonadherent hemopoietic cells of some patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. The value of the procedure as an in vitro predictive test for residual normal stem cells and response to therapy and for autologous marrow in vitro purging needs further exploration.

Between 1965 and 1982, 105 patients with a diagnosis of Philadelphia chromosome-negative chronic myelogenous leukemia were referred to our institution with minimal or no prior therapy. The median age was 63 years and 64% were males. The overall median survival from time of referral was 14 months; 53% of patients survived 1 year and only 10% survived beyond 5 years. At the time of analysis, 92 patients (88%) were dead, 56% of deaths being preceded by a blastic crisis. Compared with Philadelphia chromosome-positive disease, patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative chronic myelogenous leukemia were older and had a significantly higher incidence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, monocytosis, marrow blasts, decreased marrow megakaryocytes and a lower incidence of basophilia and thrombocytosis. Chromosomal abnormalities occurred in 33% of patients and consisted most frequently of trisomy 8, or an additional chromosome C, loss of the Y chromosome, or abnormalities in chromosomes #5 and #7. Of nine pretreatment characteristics significantly associated with poor survival, a multivariate analysis identified four to have independent additive prognostic significance: severe thrombocytopenia, hemoglobin levels less than 10 g/dl, increasing peripheral blasts and promyelocytes, and age 60 years or older. Monocytosis was not of prognostic significance. The derived prognostic model divided patients into three risk groups, low, intermediate, and high, with median survivals of 36, 16, and 3 months, respectively. The authors conclude that Philadelphia chromosome-negative chronic myelogenous leukemia is a distinct entity among the myeloproliferative syndromes with characteristic clinical and laboratory features and a poor prognosis. Prognostic factors and related risk categories were demonstrated within this disease entity.

Determination of the characteristics of accelerated disease in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) helps in individual prognostication, and in the introduction and analysis of investigative approaches based on risk-benefit ratios. The outcome of 357 patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML was analysed from the time of development of suspected features of accelerated disease. Median survivals shorter than 18 months were associated with the appearance of any of the following: cytogenetic clonal evolution; extramedullary disease; peripheral blasts greater than or equal to 15%, peripheral blasts and promyelocytes greater than or equal to 30%, or peripheral basophils greater than or equal to 20%; platelet count less than 1.0 X 10(5)/microliters; marrow blasts greater than or equal to 15%, marrow blasts and promyelocytes greater than or equal to 30%, or marrow basophils greater than or equal to 20%. Relative hazard ratios, or risk of death per unit time, were calculated based on the relative survivals of patients who did or did not develop the particular feature of accelerated disease, after accounting for the time to development of the characteristic. Further analysis identified five features that have additive independent prognostic importance: cytogenetic clonal evolution; peripheral blasts greater than or equal to 15%; peripheral basophils greater than or equal to 20%; peripheral blasts and promyelocytes greater than or equal to 30%; and thrombocytopenia. By providing an objective estimate of prognosis in accelerated disease, the model identifies patients in need of different therapeutic interventions before the development of blastic crisis.

Sixty patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia were treated between 1973 and 1984. The overall median survival was 16 months with a five-year survival rate of 31 percent. The complete remission rate was 53 percent and was similar whether they received amsacrine- or anthracycline-based regimens (60 percent versus 51 percent). The median remission duration was 29 months. At five years, 43 percent of patients with responses to treatment had continuous remission and 57 percent were alive. Salvage therapy produced remissions in 53 percent of patients during first relapse, with two long-term survivors after further consolidation with bone marrow transplantation. Early fatal hemorrhage associated with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy during induction therapy occurred in 16 patients (26 percent). Multivariate analysis of the pretreatment patient characteristics significantly associated with an increased risk of fatal hemorrhage identified four that have primary prognostic importance: thrombocytopenia, elevated absolute blast and promyelocyte counts, old age, and anemia. Patients having up to two unfavorable features had a low risk of fatal hemorrhage compared with those who had more than two (5 percent versus 58 percent; p less than 0.0001). Overall, patients who received heparin had a lower incidence of fatal hemorrhage than those who did not (19 percent versus 32 percent). Heparin therapy was not beneficial to those at low risk but was associated with a trend towards decreased hemorrhagic deaths among high-risk patients (45 percent versus 67 percent). Cytogenetic studies demonstrated the characteristic 15;17 translocation in 73 percent of patients with analyzable metaphases, whereas 12 percent had other karyotypic abnormalities. Remission induction was often associated with a gradual atypical morphologic evolution into remission without intermediate hypoplasia with the interim marrows showing a high proportion of blasts. It is concluded that acute promyelocytic leukemia is a unique disease with a high potential for cure. Knowledge of its prognosis using present frontline and salvage therapy, of the factors related to fatal hemorrhage, and of the unusual patient marrow profiles during remission induction may improve the therapeutic approach.

Evidence for the clonal nature of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) has been obtained primarily from studies of black females expressing polymorphic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) isoenzymes where, instead of the heterozygous pattern normally found as a result of random X chromosome inactivation, exclusive expression of only one G6PD allele has been demonstrated in leukemic cell populations. We report here the use of two other molecular approaches to examine clonality of peripheral blood cells in patients with CML. The first of these is based on the analysis of consistent differential methylation patterns associated with active and inactive X chromosomes within the region spanned by a BamHI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) locus. By this method, three heterozygous females gave results consistent with monoclonal origin of the disease, including one patient lacking the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1) normally associated with CML. In the other two patients, both of whom had Ph1-positive CML, clonality was confirmed by the demonstration of simple gene rearrangements by Southern hybridization with a breakpoint cluster region (bcr) probe from chromosome 22.

Fifty-one patients with previously untreated or minimally treated chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase received human alpha interferon 3 to 9 X 10(6) units intramuscularly (IM) daily until complete hematologic remission, then at doses ranging from 3 X 10(6) units every other day to 9 X 10(6) units daily. Forty-one (80%) patients achieved a hematologic response, 36 (71%) of them attaining a complete hematologic remission with normal peripheral WBC and differential counts. Responding patients showed continuous but slow normalization of several other blood and marrow parameters including platelet counts, serum lactic dehydrogenase and B12 levels, and marrow cellularity and maturation index. Suppression of the Philadelphia chromosome on serial cytogenetic studies of marrow metaphases was documented in 20 of the 36 patients who achieved complete hematologic remission (56%; 39% of total group), eight of whom (22%) had a decrease of the Philadelphia chromosome-positive metaphases to less than 35%. These changes were persistent for 6 months or longer in 18 patients, seven of whom had continuous suppression of the Philadelphia chromosome to less than 90% for a median of 30+ months (range 21+ to 39+ months). After a median follow-up period of 37 months, 25 patients remain in continued disease control with interferon therapy. The projected 3-year survival rate is 76%, with a yearly death rate of 6%, 9%, and 9% in the first 3 years. Response, Philadelphia chromosome suppression, and survival were significantly better among patients in the low-risk category compared to intermediate- and high-risk categories, as defined by a multivariate analysis-derived prognostic model. The projected 3-year survival rate was 94% for patients who achieved a complete hematologic remission on interferon therapy and 45% for those who did not. Thirteen patients have developed blastic crisis, six with lymphoid and three with undifferentiated morphology. We conclude that human leukocyte alpha interferon effectively controls chronic myeloid leukemia and allows reappearance of diploid hemopoietic cells in some patients.