AUTOGRAFTING IN CHRONIC MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA FOLLOWED BY IMMUNOTHERAPY

Patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) can be cured with all ogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Over the past decade, it has beco me clear that immunological mechanisms, in the form of graft-versus-le ukemia, constitute an integral part of this therapy. Because of limita tions imposed by a lack of suitable donors, age, and toxicity, only a minority of patients can be offered allogeneic bone marrow transplanta tion (BMT). Recently, attempts have been made to employ autologous bon e marrow transplantation (ABMT) for the therapy of CML using a variety of pre- and post-transplantation manipulations. This report describes the rationale for an ongoing clinical trial using the immunomodulator roquinimex (Linomide), following autologous bone marrow transplantati on, in an attempt to stimulate the immunological responses thought to be critical for successful therapy in CML.