[Bone marrow autotransplant: preliminary results in 20 patients with acute leukemia]

The results of bone marrow autograft (BMAG) in 20 patients with acute leukemia (AL) consecutively treated from October 1985 and May 1988 are reported. The follow up was continued until November 1988. The mean age of the patients was 20 years (range 10-48) and their diagnoses were acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) in 12 and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in 8. The preparation for BMAG included cyclophosphamide and whole body radiation in all cases. The procedure was carried out in the first complete remission (CR-1) in 5 patients, in CR-2 in 11, in CR-3 in 2, and in CR-4 in another 2. Two patients died as a direct consequence of BMAG, 11 relapsed and 7 are alive and free from relapse. The likelihood of survival free from prolonged illness was calculated as 24% for the whole series, 60% for the cases of BMAG in CR-1 and 50% for the group of patients with AML. The results were poor in the cases of BMAG carried out for AL in an advanced stage. On the basis of these results the experience of other authors with this therapeutic modality is reviewed, and its current indications are discussed.