Urinary colony-stimulating factor in acute leukemia follow-up and correlation with various phases of the disease

Urinary colony-stimulating factor (CSF) was assayed in 19 patients with various leukemias and was monitored in various phases of acute leukemia in 3 patients. Significantly higher CSF levels were found at the onset of leukemia with a monoblastic component. Continuous monitoring of CSF in a patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia revealed a decrease in CSF level during the remission phase, followed by a rebound to high levels preceding the clinical and hematological relapse. Concomitantly, a colony-inhibitory factor (CIF) was detected. Both CSF and CIF of this patient were isolated and partially characterized.