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Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor support in therapy of high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia in
U M Saarinen-Pihkala1, M Lanning, M Perkkiö
1Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Background:
Our purpose was to increase the dose intensity of chemotherapy and reduce the days with neutropenic fever in childhood high-risk (HR) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by systematic use of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).
Procedure:
All children with HR-ALL in Finland during 1990-1996 were included. Two open-label study groups were formed: 1) 34 children diagnosed between January, 1992, and December, 1996, received seven or nine courses (depending on cranial RT or no cranial RT) of GM-CSF at 5 microg/kg s.c. daily until an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 1,000 x 10(6)/liter at scheduled places in the protocol and 2) 80 control children, those diagnosed between January, 1990, and December, 1991, plus all with significant coexpression of myeloid markers, did not receive GM-CSF.
Results:
Dose intensity increased in patients who received regular GM-CSF support. The intensive phase of therapy, including induction, consolidation courses, and delayed intensification, was 33 days shorter (P < 0.001) in children with seven courses and 26 days shorter (P < 0.01) in those with nine courses of GM-CSF compared to controls. The number of infections during the whole ALL therapy was reduced by use of GM-CSF in children aged >5 years (P < 0.001), but not in those aged <5 years. The mean total duration of intravenous antibiotics per child was 39 days in the GM-CSF group and 48 days in the control group (P < 0. 001). Systematic use of GM-CSF was cost-effective.
Conclusions:
Systematic use of GM-CSF improved dose intensity by shortening the intensive treatment period by about 4 weeks. Use of GM-CSF reduced the days for inpatient antibiotics by about 1 week per child, which translates into reduced costs.