[Autograft of bone marrow following intensive treatment in acute lymphoid leukemia in children]

Ten children were autografted for ALL in second complete remission (CR). The conditioning regimen consisted of cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg/day X 2) and total body irradiation (10 to 13.2 grays). It was well tolerated, no deaths occurred during the first 3 months post-graft. Nine children remained in second CR, without any maintenance therapy, from 2 to 40 months after ABMT and the median survival time was 11 months. One child died 112 days post-graft, following a cerebral hemorrhage (thrombocytopenia less than 10 X 10(9) platelets/liter). One girl, affected by B ALL, was autografted while in first CR after intensive chemotherapy (modified BACT) 5 months after diagnosis. She relapsed 8 months later. Seven bone marrows have been purged ex vivo by chemotherapy (ASTA-Z) and 3 by anti-CALLA monoclonal antibodies and complement.