[Amifostine (ethyol) in the adjunctive treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

Myelosuppression is one of the most common side effects during chemotherapy in children with leukemia and lymphoma. That is why the protection of patients against the acute and chronic toxicity of antineoplastic therapy has become a major concern of oncology centers. Amifostine (Ethyol--Schering-Plough) represents a new adjunct for the management of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. It has the ability to protect selectively a range of tissues and bone marrow against acute and cumulative toxicity of chemotherapy. Because solid tumors tend to be hypovascular and more acid than normal tissue, amifostine may protect selectively normal tissue. Amifostine is believed to scavenge free radicals, repair radicals on essential molecules and from mixed disulfides to protect normal cells. In this trial we demonstrate how amifostine protects granulocytes, erythrocytes and platelets against toxicity of chemotherapy.