CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR (G-CSF) RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN ACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA

We examined granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) receptor (GR ) expression on leukemic cells from 44 adults with newly-diagnosed acu te myeloid leukemia (AML). GR expression was higher in female patients . G-CSF was administered to AML patients after initial induction thera py without significant acceleration of leukemia, irrespective of GR ex pression level, G-CSF administration after initial chemotherapy did no t adversely influence clinical outcome of GR-positive patients. Howeve r, at first relapse, leukemia regrowth was accelerated in 3 of 15 GR-p ositive patients who received G-CSF after re-induction. It remains to be determined whether leukemia acceleration due to G-CSF contributes t o re-induction failure and if G-CSF therapy is a significant risk in r elapsed, GR-positive AML patients. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd, All rights reserved.