EFFECT OF TRANSFER-FACTOR ON MYELOSUPPRESSION AND RELATED MORBIDITY INDUCED BY CHEMOTHERAPY IN ACUTE LEUKEMIAS

The aim of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of Trans fer Factor (TF) in accelerating the haematopoietic recovery in patient s with acute leukaemias (AL), following intensive therapy to induce re mission of the disease, Twenty-two patients with different types of AL (16 AML, three BC-CML and three ALL) were studied. The patients were divided in two groups. Group 1 (eight AML, two BC-CML and one ALL) rec eived, after myelosuppression induced by chemotherapy, TF (I unit dail y, subcutaneous) until leucocyte count was > 2.5 x 10(9)/1 and platele t count > 80 x 10(9)/1. Group 2 was considered the control group and d id not receive TF. Treatment with TF accelerated the recovery of neutr ophils, leucocytes, platelets (P< 0.001) and haemoglobin (P < 0.01). A s a logical consequence, incidence and severity of infection and haemo rrhage were lesser in the TF group than in the control group. There wa s no evidence that TF accelerated the re-growth of leukaemic cells. It seems that TF is safe in AL, accelerating haematopoietic recovery. Ho wever, it should be used with caution until results of additional tria ls become available.