The role of autologous bone marrow transplantation in acute leukemia

One hundred and twenty-seven patients with acute leukemia were treated with high-dose cytoreductive programs in conjunction with autologous marrow. Transplantation in relapse resulted in a complete remission rate ranging from 33% to 72%, depending on the time of transplantation, the conditioning regimen used and the performance status of the patient. Remission duration was short, ranging from three to nine months. Transplantation in second or subsequent remission did not change the natural history of the disease. In 14% of the cases, transplantation remissions were obtained exceeding the duration of the preceding remission, results equivalent to those obtained by normal dose chemotherapy. Transplantation in first remission (CR1) resulted in a projected two-year disease-free survival of 72% (13% SE) in acute myelogenous leukemia and of 45% (17% SE) in acute lymphocytic leukemia. We conclude from these data that the results look promising in CR1 and that in second and subsequent remissions a realistic study design is possible by which the influence on the natural history of disease by changing the bone marrow transplantation program, such as purging in vitro, can be studied.