0000000000528030
AUTHOR
Hermann Heimpel
GM-CSF in a Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial in Therapy of Adult Patients with De Novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Despite the fact that 60%–70% of patients with de novo acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) achieve a complete remission (CR) of the disease only about 20%–30% of the patients remain in long term remission and are probably cured [1,2]. These rather disappointing long-term results argue in favor of an even more intensive induction and post-remission therapy. This intention is, however, at time limited by therapy associated toxicity. Especially haematotoxicity seems to be the limiting factor in that patients with profound neutropenia are at high risk of developing fatal infectious complications [3]. In this context haematopoietic growth factors, such as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating …
Aggressive chemotherapy combined with G-CSF and maintenance therapy with interleukin-2 for patients with advanced myelodysplastic syndrome, subacute or secondary acute myeloid leukemia--initial results.
Aggressive chemotherapy of advanced myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) evolving from MDS, subacute AML and secondary AML has usually been associated with low complete remission (CR) rates, a high incidence of early death, and low disease-free survival. We therefore have initiated a phase-III trial of aggressive chemotherapy consisting of idarubicin, cytosine arabinoside, and VP-16 to improve the CR rate. Each chemotherapy cycle is followed by G-CSF to accelerate neutrophil recovery and to reduce the incidence of infections. Until now, 19 patients with high-risk AML have been entered. The CR rate is 47%, with only one death during induction. Patients achieving CR ar…