THE ROLE OF GM-CSF IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA

After a first study showed that GM-CSF following chemotherapy effectiv ely accelerated neutrophil recovery and reduced early mortality in hig h risk patients with AML, a second study was begun in which GM-CSF was applied preceeding chemotherapy and continuing until neutrophil recov ery in the initial 5 chemotherapy courses for patients with newly diag nosed AML. The CR rate in patients of 16-75 (median 50) years was 75% in GM-CSF patients and 84% in controls. GM-CSF patients showed a trend to more frequent rapid blast clearance and fewer persistent leukemias and a significantly superior remission duration as of this update two -and-a-half years after the study started. It should be shown later by this study whether GM-CSF multiple course priming and longterm admini stration adds to the cure rate of patients with AML.