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The effects of four recombinant hemopoietic growth factors (HGF) and of the impure factor HTB9 on proliferation and maturation of marrow myeloid (CFU-GM) and erythroid (BFU-E) progenitor cells were studied in 22 cases of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). In most cases, IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF increased significantly the number of myeloid colonies, the best combination being IL-3 + GM-CSF. A significant increase in the myeloid colony/cluster ratio was also noted, but cytological examination of colony cells showed little maturation. The analysis of myeloid colony surface markers with four monoclonal antibodies (to CD13, CD15, CD33 and CD34) showed minor modifications with an increase of CD13 and CD15 in about one third of cases when compared to control without HGF. Erythroid colonies were obtained in one case with erythropoietin alone, and in 19 cases with the addition of GM-CSF and/or IL-3. In short-term liquid cultures, IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF increased 3H-thymidine incorporation. We conclude that progenitor cells of most MDS are able to proliferate in the presence of HGF, with wide case-to-case variations. However, the pattern of growth remains abnormal when compared to normal marrow. Although the combination of IL-3 and GM-CSF is the most efficient, there is a large overlap in the stimulating effects of all factors studied.

To test the value of pefloxacin for the prevention of infections in patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, oral pefloxacin plus vancomycin (PV) (n=76) or gentamicin, colistin sulphate and vancomycin (GCV) (n=74) were administered in a randomised double-blind study. Infections were significantly less severe in the PV than in the GCV group. Patients receiving PV had significantly fewer episodes of bacteraemia and central venous line infections than patients treated with GVC. Gram-positive and gram-negative infections were significantly less frequent in patients receiving PV, because of fewer infections with Staphylococcus species and enterobacteriaceae. Stool culture detected significantly more gram-positive organisms in the PV group and more gram-negative organisms in the GCV group. Thus, PV was more efficacious than GCV for the prevention of gram-positive and gram-negative infections in the neutropenic patients, despite lower efficacy in eradicating gram-positive organisms from the lower intestinal tract.

A study of surface markers and in vitro growth in semi-solid and liquid medium was performed in 35 patients with newly diagnosed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Surface markers were studied by CD34, CD13, CD14, CD15, and CD33 monoclonal antibodies. There was no strict correlation with the FAB typing, but CD34 was expressed only in refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) or RAEB in transformation (RAEB-t). CD14 was markedly positive in the 4 cases of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Colony-forming cells were assessed by culture in semi-solid medium in the presence of HTB9 as growth factor. Four growth patterns were identified: a) normal growth (6 cases); b) no growth or low plating efficiency (10 cases); c) low colony and high cluster number (15 cases); and d) normal or high colony number with high number of clusters (4 cases). Expression of CD34 was associated with low colony and high cluster number. Finally we studied the proliferation and differentiation capacities in liquid culture without stimulating factor. Fifteen patients had a spontaneous proliferation. This was not correlated with any surface marker. Differentiation assessed by the loss of CD34 and/or the increase of CD15 by more than 20% at day 7 was observed in 21 cases. None of the surface markers or growth patterns was associated with a specific chromosomal abnormality, except the lack of growth in liquid culture observed in all 5q deletion cases. In univariate analysis, RAEB and RAEB-t FAB subtypes, percentage of blasts higher than 5%, staining by CD33 and CD34, and lack of differentiation in liquid culture were significantly associated with progression to leukemia and shorter survival. In multivariate analysis, only CD34 expression (P = .002) and percentage of blasts (P = .05) remained independent significant variables. CD34 was the only significant variable for prediction of survival (P = .05). It is concluded that surface marker analysis at diagnosis and after liquid culture may be a useful tool for the initial evaluation of MDS.

A case of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) occurring after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is reported. A 43-year-old male with chronic myelogenous leukemia received an human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical allogeneic transplantation with T-cell depleted marrow. Because of graft rejection, a second transplant was performed 4 months later. A grade II acute graft- vs.-host disease and a cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection were subsequently observed. Two years after the second transplant, cutaneous symptoms of PCT with typical biochemical abnormalities developed. Liver biopsy revealed signs of hepatitis with iron overload. CMV was isolated from liver tissue. The possible roles of underlying disease, BMT, and CMV liver disease are discussed in view of the recently reported cases of PCT in patients with AIDS or hematological disorders.

In order to detect possible relationships between cytogenetic abnormalities and morphologic features in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), 48 patients with MDS were investigated. Clonal cytogenetic abnormalities were present in bone marrow cells from 27 patients (56%). The most frequent single anomaly was del (5 q) (10 cases), followed by monosomy 7 (3 cases), trisomy 8 (3 cases) and del (20 q) (2 cases). Complex anomalies were present in 6 patients. Morphologically, according to the French-American-British (FAB) classification: 17 cases were considered as refractory anemia (RA), 17 as RA with excess of blasts (RAEB), 2 as RAEB in transformation, 2 as acquired idiopathic sideroblastic anemia and 10 as chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. With regard to the FAB classification, del (5 q) was often associated with RA and complex cytogenetic anomalies with RAEB. When myelodysplasia was studied in individual myeloid lineages, del (5 q) was associated with hypolobulated megakaryocytes, monosomy 7 with micromegakaryocytes and complex chromosomal anomalies with the association of two or more features of dysmegakaryocytopoiesis. Del (11 q) was associated with increased iron storage and del (20 q) with marked dyserythropoiesis. No correlation was observed between cytogenetic anomalies and features of dysgranulocytopoiesis.

Outcome of adult ALL with central nervous system (CNS) involvement is not clearly defined. We studied 104 patients presenting with CNS involvement at diagnosis among 1493 patients (7%) included into the LALA-87 or LALA-94 trials, and 109 patients (9% of first remitters) presenting CNS disease at the time of first relapse among the 709 relapsing patients (15%) included initially in these trials. Treatment of patients presenting CNS involvement at diagnosis consisted in initial chemotherapy completed by 18 double or triple intrathecal injections associated with 15 to 20 Gy cranial irradiation, followed when possible by intensification by allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT). At diagnosis, 43 patients (41%) presenting with CNS involvement had T-lineage ALL, 53 (51%) had B-lineage ALL (of whom 9 were diagnosed as Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome positive ALL), 8 had undifferentiated ALL or unknown immunophenotype. Eighty-seven of 104 (84%) patients with CNS involvement at diagnosis achieved complete remission (CR). Fifty-three patients underwent SCT (25 allogeneic SCT from matched related or unrelated donor, 28 autologous SCT). Overall survival at 7 years was 34% in those with CNS involvement at diagnosis versus 29% (p = NS) for those without. DFS at 7 years was 35% versus 28% (p = NS). There were no significant differences between patients with CNS involvement and those without CNS involvement regarding T lineage ALL, B lineage ALL (including or not Ph ALL). There were also no significant differences regarding patients who underwent transplantation as consolidation intensification, while in patients receiving only chemotherapy patients without initial CNS involvement had a better outcome (p = 0.01). Among the 709 patients with primary relapse, 66 patients (61%) presented a CNS relapse combined with bone marrow relapse, whereas 17 relapses (15%) and 26 relapses (24%) were CNS relapses combined with another extramedullary relapse or isolated CNS relapses respectively. Median time to relapse was 6.7 months (range, 1–62) in patients with CNS relapse versus 11.2 months (1.7–111) in relapsing patients without CNS involvement. Eleven patients (10%) with CNS relapse had CNS involvement at diagnosis, while 98 patients were diagnosed with CNS disease only at the time of first relapse. Overall, 38 out of 109 patients with CNS relapse (35%) achieved CR. The median OS was 6.3 months. Outcome was similar in terms of CR proportion and OS in relapsing patients without CNS involvement. The 2-year OS rates did not show any difference among patients with CNS relapse who had CNS involvement at diagnosis and those with CNS disease only diagnosed at the time of first relapse.Overall, CNS leukemia in adult ALL is uncommon at diagnosis. Patients have a similar outcome than those who did not present with CNS involvement. However, patients benefit from intensification therapy by autologous or allogeneic SCT. CNS leukemia at first relapse are also uncommon but probably underestimated. Outcome is particularly poor as this of all adult ALL in first relapse.

Ph+ ALL accounts for approximately one third of ALL cases in patients aged 55 years or older. The median survival of older Ph+ ALL patients is one year, with practically no long-term survivors (Blood, 98, Supp1 p319a, 2001). Imatinib has demonstrated remarkable, although transient, activity in relapsed and refractory Ph+ ALL, which prompted the GRAALL to implement a treatment protocol alternating chemotherapy and imatinib in previously untreated elderly patients: ALL patients aged 55 years or older were treated with steroids during one week and Ph+ cases were then offered a specific therapy including an induction treatment with steroids, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin and vincristine, followed, irrespective of response to induction chemotherapy, by imatinib, 600 mg daily, combined with intermittent steroids during 2 months. Patients in complete response (CR) were then given 10 blocks of alternating chemotherapy, including 2 additional two-month blocks of imatinib, for a total treatment duration of 2 years. Therapy of occult central nervous system leukemia included 5 intrathecal injections of methotrexate and cranial irradiation. Results are compared with those obtained in 21 Ph+ ALL elderly patients treated according to our previous protocol. From January 2003 to November 2004, 30 patients aged 58 to 78 years (median: 65.8 years) were included in the present study. The median follow-up of surviving patients is 15 months. 20/29 assessable patients were in complete response after induction chemotherapy vs 6/21 in the historical controls given similar induction regimen but with no steroids before chemotherapy (p=0.009). Two patients died during induction treatment vs none in the control group. Out of 6 patients alive with disease at completion of induction, 5 were in CR after salvage with imatinib. The projected overall survival is 71% at 1 year vs 43% in the control group (p=0.008, log-rank test). The 1 year projected relapse-free survival is 58% vs 11% (p=0.003) and the projected 1 year event-free survival (defined as failure to obtain a CR, death or relapse) is 57% vs 5% (p

Ph+ ALL accounts for approximately one third of ALL cases in patients aged 55 years or older. The median survival of older Ph+ ALL patients is one year, with practically no long-term survivor (Blood, 98, Supp1 p319a, 2001). Imatinib has demonstrated remarkable, although transient, activity in relapsed and refractory Ph+ ALL, which prompted the GRAALL to implement a treatment protocol associating imatinib and chemotherapy in previously untreated elderly patients: ALL patients aged 55 years or older are treated with steroids during one week and Ph+ve cases are then offered a specific therapy including an induction treatment with steroids, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin and vincristine, followed, irrespective of response to induction chemotherapy, by imatinib, 600 mg daily, combined with intermittent steroids during 2 months. Patients in complete response are then given 10 blocks of alternating chemotherapy, including 2 additional two-month blocks of imatinib, for a total treatment duration of 2 years. Therapy of occult central nervous system leukemia includes 5 intrathecal injections of methotrexate and cranial irradiation. The study is intended to include 30 patients and its main objective is to improve overall one-year survival to 70%. Results are compared with those obtained in 21 Ph+ ALL elderly patients treated according to our previous protocol. Since January 2003, 21 patients aged 58 to 78 years (median: 64.7 years) were included in the AFR09 protocol. Their median follow-up is 3 months. 15/19 patients are in complete response after induction chemotherapy vs 6/21 in the historical controls given similar induction regimen but with no steroids before chemotherapy (p=0.002). The projected overall survival is 95% at 9 months vs 62% in the control group (p=0.08, log-rank test). The 9-month projected event-free survival is 83% vs 10% (p

We report three cases of acute leukaemia with t(4;11) (q21;q23), one of them of undifferentiated and the other two of lymphoid phenotype, occurring after adjuvant radiochemotherapy for breast cancer (two cases) or occupational exposure to radiation (one case). Although the myeloid phenotype and characteristic chromosomal anomalies usually observed in secondary leukaemia were lacking, our observations raise the possibility of causal relationship between exposure to carcinogens and the occurrence of a leukaemia with t(4;11).

In an attempt to rationalize the use of therapy in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) in elderly patients, 69 cases of primary AML in patients older than 60 years of age were reviewed retrospectively. Therapy was empirical and 12 patients received supportive care (SC) only, 35 received aggressive chemotherapy (AC), and 22 received low-dose cytosine arabinoside (LD-araC). Patients receiving SC only often had a poor Karnofski index and their median survival was 17 days. Aggressive chemotherapy yielded complete remissions (CR) in 48% of the patients, whereas 23% of the patients had resistant disease (RD) and 29% had other failures (OF). Low-dose araC, which was administered to patients significantly older than those receiving AC, yielded 23% CR, 68% RD, and 9% OF, with important hematologic toxicity in most patients. Median survival was 211 days in patients receiving AC and 235 days in patients treated with LD-araC. Survival beyond 2 years from diagnosis was noted in the AC group only. A low Karnofski index was the strongest factor in poor prognosis, while age was not a prognostic factor. The initial characteristics of the patients did not allow us to define groups of patients who should be treated by either AC or LD-araC. We concluded that the decision to treat patients actively should rely more on the patient's general condition and socio-economical criteria than on age.

Ninety-seven patients with aggressive malignant lymphoma (ML) were treated with an intensive and sequential chemotherapy (protocol LNH-80). There were 42 patients with intermediate grade ML, 53 patients with high-grade ML, and two patients with true histiocytic ML. Most of the patients were in advanced stage: 21 stage III and 61 stage IV. The LNH-80 protocol schedule comprised three phases: (1) induction with three courses of an intensified CHOP-Bleo (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vindesine, methylprednisolone, and bleomycin); (2) consolidation with cytarabine, followed by high-dose methotrexate and folinic acid rescue, then asparaginase; and (3) final intensification with two courses of CVAP-Bleo (cyclophosphamide, teniposide, cytarabine, methylprednisolone, and bleomycin). CNS prophylaxis included one injection of methotrexate during each induction course and the drugs of the consolidation phase. In cases of initial CNS localization, cranial radiotherapy was added. Eighty-four patients (87%) went into complete remission (CR), 18 (21%) of whom relapsed, usually during the phase of treatment or within 6 months of completing chemotherapy. Sixty-three patients are alive with an overall median follow-up of 24 months. The median survival time and the median disease-free survival have not been reached, and the survival curve seems to have plateaued at above 60%. There was no statistical difference between intermediate-grade ML (CR 90%, relapse 18%) and high-grade ML (CR 84%, relapse 24%). The toxicity of this treatment is mainly encountered during the induction phase: almost all patients had short-term neutropenia, less than 0.500 g/L in 57, with a documented infection in 25. Overall treatment-related mortality was 6%, with four patients dying during the induction phase.

It is known that cigarette smoking induces leukocytosis and increased genetic instability in normal individuals. Therefore, a retrospective review was conducted of 173 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia to detect a possible influence of cigarette smoking on initial characteristics at the time of presentation and on the course of this disease. Thirty-nine patients (23%) were smoking 5 cigarettes/d or more at time of diagnosis. Cigarette smoking was significantly related to male sex (P = 0.0005) and younger age at diagnosis (P = 0.02) and smokers tended to have lower leukocyte counts (P = 0.07) than nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking was significantly associated with early blast crisis (P less than 0.0001) and short survival (P less than 0.0001). Other characteristics associated with a poor prognosis included hepatomegaly, anemia, and a high percentage of peripheral blast cells at time of diagnosis. When studied in a multivariate analysis, cigarette smoking remained the strongest prognostic factor for both occurrence of blast crisis (P = 0.0003) and overall survival (P = 0.0001). Other poor prognosis factors found in the multivariate analysis included a high percentage of blasts in the peripheral blood at time of diagnosis and high platelet count. It is possible that cigarette smoke may act as a promoter or cocarcinogen in the transformation of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Serum beta 2 microglobulin levels, measured by radioimmunoassay (Phadebas test), were found increased in acute myeloid leukemias at diagnosis. Serum beta 2 microglobulin levels were significantly higher in patients with monocytic leukemias (13 patients, M4-M5 FAB classification) than in those with other cytological types (18 patients). Beta 2 microglobulin levels at diagnosis were correlated with serum lysozyme levels, but they were not correlated with blood blast counts, serum LDH and ferritin levels. 195 serum beta 2 microglobulin measurements were made serially in 30 patients with acute myeloid leukemias in first remission. Compared to values at diagnosis, beta 2 microglobulin levels in remission were significantly decreased. Out of 30 patients in remission 12 had increased serum beta 2 microglobulin levels (greater than 3 mg/l). Serial measurements were not predictive for relapses.

The clinical significance of surface markers was investigated in 145 cases of acute myeloid (AML) or undifferentiated leukaemia (AUL), using a panel of six monoclonal antibodies directed to NHL-30.5 antigen (expressed on poorly differentiated myeloid cells), CD13, CD14, CD15, CD33 and CD34 antigens. Expression of CD14 was correlated with higher leucocyte count, higher serum lactate dehydrogenase level and presentation with extramedullary disease. There was no strict correlation with the French-American-British classification. However, the expression of CD14 was associated with monocytic subtypes. CD15 was mainly expressed in M2 and M3 subtypes, and NHL-30.5 and CD34 antigens in AUL and M1 leukaemias. All patients were treated with the same intensive induction treatment. Staining by three antibodies had a prognostic value. The complete remission (CR) rates were 38% (26/68) in NHL-30.5-positive versus 75% (62/77) in NHL-30.5-negative cases (P less than 10(-5), 50% (37/74) in CD34-positive versus 72% (51/71) in CD34-negative cases (P = 0.007) and 70% (77/110) in CD15-positive versus 31% (11/35) in CD15-negative cases (P less than 10(-4). Expression of NHL-30.5 and CD34 antigen was associated with shorter survival (P less than 10(-3) and P less than 10(-2) respectively), whereas survival was longer in CD15-positive cases (P less than 10(-3). In multivariate analysis, expression of NHL-30.5 antigen, absence of CD15, and high LDH level were associated with poor survival. CR duration was not influenced by any of the factors studied, including antigen expression. These results suggest that leukaemias with less differentiated phenotype have a lower response rate to induction treatment.

We have previously shown that CD 19, a B-lymphoid differentiation antigen, is expressed on acute myeloid leukemia cells. In this study, the expression of CD 19 and CD 14 (a monocytic antigen) was investigated in 18 cases of acute monoblastic leukemia. The staining by anti-CD 19 antibody (SB4) ranged between 26 and 81% of the cells, and was significantly correlated with the staining by anti-CD 14. Double stainings confirmed that the antigens were expressed on the same cells. After a 48-hr culture in the presence of TPA, most cells became adherent and lost CD 19 antigen, whereas CD 14 was still expressed with only minimal changes. It is concluded that CD 19 antigen is expressed on more immature stages of monoblastic leukemias. The hypothesis that CD 19 could be an early monocytic differentiation antigen is discussed.

Graft-versus-host disease remains a major complication in allogenic bone-marrow transplantation (B.M.T.), and skin is frequently involved (1). Skin biopsy is the most satisfactory technique for diagnosis, but does not provide early diagnosis, and lesions are not always specific. Immunopathological studies of the skin after B.M.T. have been performed mainly in patients presenting G.V.H.D. (2, 3), and it is difficult to assess wether the abnormalities that have been described are related to G.V.H.D. or to the transplant procedure itself. In an attempt to describe early modifications and to eventually precise their relations to G.V.H.D., we have studied serial skin biopsies in recipients of allogenic and autologous B.M.T.

The reactivity of a panel of monoclonal antibodies was studied in fifty-four cases of acute myeloid (AML) or undifferentiated (AUL) leukemias. Thirty-six antibodies from the Myeloid section of the Second Workshop on Human Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens were used in an indirect immunofluorescence assay. The antibodies could be classified into three groups recognizing respectively granulocytic, monocytic or granulomonocytic leukemias. Most antibodies stained erythroblastic and megakaryoblastic leukemias. In each group, it was possible to define antibodies staining either the less differentiated forms (FAB M 1 and M 5 a) or the more differentiated forms (M 2, M 3, M 4 and M 5 b). Six out of eight AUL were stained by some of the antibodies (mainly from the monocytic group). However, a heterogeneity of stainings in a same blast population was observed.

A 69-year-old woman presented with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosed after bone marrow recovery following intensive chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The retrospective diagnosis of initial blastic transformation of CLL was made. The patient eventually died, 5 months after initial blastic phase, from a blastic relapse of her CLL. Immunologic and karyotypic studies of the lymphoid cells at different times during the evolution of the disease provided evidence that both the small lymphocytes and the large blastic cells originated from the same clone since they carried the same surface markers and the same (11;14) (q13;q32) translocation. A subpopulation of cells carried in addition a t(8;12) (q24;q22) together with the loss of the normal chromosome 8 and homozygosity for the abnormal der(8). The possibility that this second population might correspond to the blast cells and that the occurrence of the t(8;12) with homozygosity might be linked to blastic transformation of the CLL is discussed.

A total of 23 patients with high-risk acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) at diagnosis (2 patients), relapsing AML (14) or resistant AML (6) were treated with 25 micrograms/kg i.v. plicamycin every other day for 3 weeks and 500-4,000 mg hydroxyurea per day p. o. according to the WBC count. Aplasia was observed in only two patients. Severe extrahematologic toxicity included sepsis (four cases), vomiting (four patients), toxic hepatitis (three cases), and fibrinopenia (one patient). No partial or complete responses were observed. The 95% confidence interval limit of the overall response rate (CR + PR) was 0-14%.

The diagnostic efficiency of a serum Candida antigen detection test Cand-Tec test) was prospectively investigated in 104 leukemic patients treated by intensive chemotherapy or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Candida antigen titers were determined on admission and then weekly as long as patients remained neutropenic. Nine patients had a proven disseminated yeast infection (diagnosed only at autopsy in five cases). The highest Candida antigen titers were 1:2 in two patients and 1:4 or more in seven patients (sensitivity: 76% for this last titer). This highest titer was observed 12 days before to 3 days after the diagnosis. Seven out of the 97 patients without proven deep candidiasis had a maximum titer of 1:4 (specificity: 93%). The positive predictive value was 50% for a titer of 1:4 and 24% for a titer of 1:2, whereas the negative predictive value was 100% for a titer of 1:4 and 97% for a titer of 1:2. Patients with elevated titers were mostly treated by chemotherapy, were older and had a worse prognosis than those with negative titers, although the duration of neutropenia was similar. It is concluded that Candida antigen detection is a reliable method of diagnosis of deep candidiasis in neutropenic patients. The clinical interest in this test, with special regard to empiric antifungal therapy, is discussed.

The expression of CD 19 (B4) surface antigen was investigated in 41 cases of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), and 8 cases of acute undifferentiated leukaemia (AUL). Diagnosis was carried out by usual cytological and cytochemical means, and leukaemias were classified according to the FAB classification. CD 19 antigen is thought to be expressed on B lymphoid cells only. However, 2 cases out of 9 FAB M1, M2 and M3 subtypes were weakly stained (20 to 25%) by B4 antibody; 7 out of 11, and 17 out of 18 cases of M4 and M5 subtypes were markedly stained (25 to 70% of cells). 3 cases of AUL were also stained. Moreover, B4 expression was often correlated with expression of monocyte-associated antigens, as recognized by CRIS6, My9, KiM1 and UCHM1 antibodies. It is concluded that B4 antigen is probably expressed before B differentiation and is retained in early stages of monocytic differentiation.

Flow cytometry with propidium iodide and fluorescein isothiocyanate was used to study 46 cases of adult acute lymphoid leukaemia (ALL) before any form of chemotherapy. Cell proliferation was related to the other clinical and biological characteristics and its prognostic significance was evaluated. The following cell-cycle variables were determined: S, G2 + M, and the Low Protein Content fraction of G1 (LPC fraction). The L3 group, corresponding to B-ALL, had significantly higher proliferation than L1 and L2 (P less than 0.01). The proliferation rate was not significantly higher for T-ALL than for the other phenotypes. Complete remission was successfully induced significantly more often in cases with the LPC fraction under 50% (P less than 0.05). Failure was mainly related to resistance to chemotherapy. Of the four patients who died during aplasia, three had an LPC fraction below 25%. Duration of complete remission and survival were significantly shorter for L3 which is the most proliferative ALL (P less than 0.01). Survival was also found to be longer (P less than 0.05) when G2 + M was between 3.8% and 5.1%. This finding and the negative correlation between S and G2 + M (P less than 0.01) are discussed.

Flow cytometry with simultaneous analysis of DNA and protein content allows a most exhaustive study of cell-cycle for the prognostic evaluation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Sixty-seven cases of AML were studied before any form of chemotherapy had been undertaken. We determined the following cell-cycle variables: S, S + G2 + M, low protein content fraction (LPC-fraction) and high protein content fraction of G1 (HPC-G1). Patients were stratified according to age: S and S+G2+M phases were higher for patients over 50 who did not achieve a complete remission. LPC-fraction was significantly lower for patients older than 50 who did not achieve a complete remission not only compared to the complete remission group of patients over 50, but also compared to the younger non responder group. The duration of survival was significantly longer when LPC-fraction was higher than 26% and HPC-G1 lower than 70%. Length of survival was also better when S+G2+M was longer than 5.75%. Analysis of the therapy failure showed that S + G2 + M and LPC-fraction were significantly different between the complete remission group and the group of patients dying in aplasia. Overall, patients older than 50 with a proliferative leukemia had a worse prognosis.

We report the case of a 70-year-old woman in whom Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute leukaemia occurred 12 years after radiation therapy for a carcinoma of the cervix. Morphology of the blasts was undifferentiated and immunological studies were in favour of a CALLA-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. A possible relationship between the onset of leukaemia and the former radiation therapy is suggested.

A case of acute leukaemia following intensive chemo- and radiotherapy for solid tumour is reported. A 15-year-old girl received four courses of chemotherapy with adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and cisplatinum after the surgical diagnosis of ovarian immature teratoma. An intensification treatment was performed with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation, followed by marrow rescue. The diagnosis of myelomonocytic acute leukaemia was performed 8 months later. The patient died after a transient improvement following a treatment by hydroxyurea. The roles of the primary tumour, of the chemotherapy and of the marrow transplantation in the occurrence of leukaemia are discussed.

We report the case of a 51-year-old woman presenting t(4;11) acute undifferentiated leukemia 19 months after initiation of adjuvant radio-chemotherapy for a breast cancer. Morphology of the blasts was FAB L2 and cytochemical and immunological studies were in favor of an undifferentiated leukemia. A possible relationship between t(4;11) leukemia and exposure to carcinogens is discussed.

Dysmyelopoietic syndromes cover sideroblastic or nonsideroblastic refractory anemia with or without excess of blasts, subacute or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. The evolution of 193 patients was studied with regard to the initial hematologic picture. A certain number of variables of prognostic value have then been isolated: excess of marrow blasts (more than 5%); presence of circulating blasts or karyotypic anomalies; reduction in the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (less than 1.043 lo9/ I), of monocytes (less than 0.136 109/1), of platelets (less than 140 109/1), of in vitro granulopoietic progenitors (less than 5 per 10' nucleated cells plated), of erythrocytic incorporation of '9Fe at day 14 (less than 12%), of hemoglobin level (less than 92 g/l); previous exposure to radiation or chemotherapy; early hemolysis in SICr-labeled erythrocytes study; marrow heterogeneity in histology; less than 20% of ringed sideroblasts. The correlation between these variables and adjustements related to the length of survival and the order of magnitude of the critical level of the log-rank test show that the most significant variables in descending order are: excess of marrow blasts, neutropenia, thrombopenia, presence of circulating blasts, the type of erythropoietic insufficiency, and decrease of in vitro growth. Cancer 52:83-90, 1983. EMOPOIETIC DYSPLASIAS or dysmyelopoietic synH dromes (DMPS)1*2 correspond to several morphological entities which are characterized by the presence of one or several cytopenias and marrow maturation abnormalities. Evolution occurs progressively, leading to an aggravation of cytopenia and, in a varying percentage of cases, to the appearance of a condition similar to acute leukemia (AL). The occurrence of AL is not obligatory and the date of occurrence, in relation to the onset of the disease, varies considerably. In the absence of transformation into AL, evolution can be prolonged, with death occuring due to an intercurrent disease, or infectious or hemorrhagic complications of the cytopenia. According to the importance of the different anomalies of the blood and marrow, DMPS cases have been described as idiopathic sideroblastic anemia (SA),3,4 refractory anemia with an excess of blasts oli

Second malignant neoplasms are a serious complication after successful treatment of childhood ALL. Although treatment intensity and outcome were not comparable, with improvements in survival, it is important to evaluate the rate and the type of second neoplasms in adults with ALL. We analyzed the data from the GET-LALA group. A cohort of 1493 patients, aged 15 to 60 years and enrolled on two successive multicenter protocols between 1987 and 2002, was observed to determine the incidence of second neoplasms and associated risk factors. The median follow-up time from diagnosis was 6 years. By February 2005, secondary or concomitant neoplasms were documented in 23 patients (median age: 36 years, range:18–57) including 9 acute myeloid leukemias, 4 non Hodgkin lymphomas, 5 skin tumors, and 5 other solid tumors (1 lung cancer, 1 tongue carcinoma, 1 thymoma, 1 condrosarcoma, 1 histiocytosis). Neoplasms developed 0.5 to 13.8 years (median, 4.5 years) after the diagnosis of ALL. 22 patients were in first remission, one was in second remission. The overall cumulative risk of secondary neoplasms was 2.1% at 5 years, 4.9% at 10 years, 9.4% at 15 years. The cumulative risk of developing a second hematologic malignancy was 1.8% at 5 years, 2.2% at 10 years, 3.3% at 18 years; that of developing a solid tumor was 0.2% at 5 years, 2.8% at 10 years, 6.2% at 15 years. The development of secondary neoplasm was not associated with the use of any specific cytotoxic agent. However, risk of skin tumor increased with radiation dose and transplantation (p = 0.01). Overall survival after the diagnosis of a second malignant neoplasm was 55% at 10 years. However, the median overall survival in patients developing acute myeloid leukemia was of 5.7 months. Considering the low-survival rate of this large unselected adult ALL cohort (32% at 10 years), considering the poorer results comparing to childhood ALL treatment, the risk of secondary or concomitant neoplasm remains probably under estimated. Larger series with long-term follow-up are, however, mandatory. Figure Figure

We have recently reported the results of the ALFA-9000 randomized trial in which younger adults with AML had a significant better long-term relapse-free interval when receiving a timed-sequentially reinforced induction (arm C) as compared to either standard 3+7 (arm A) or double (arm B) induction (Castaigne et al, Blood 2004). Both arms B and C included the same induction reinforcement with mitoxantrone and intermediate-dose cytarabine (ID-AraC) systematically administered at day 20 in arm B or at day 8 in arm C. Although patients aged between 15 and 65 years were included in this study, the gain in relapse incidence associated with arm C was observed in those less than 50 years of age only. We report here the outcomes of cytogenetic subsets, according to the arm C versus arm A/B stratification. Overall, 405 karyotypes were available (68%) and classified according to the SWOG classification as 56 favorable (CBF-AML, 46/56 under the age of 50 years), 215 intermediate (including 194 normal), 91 unfavorable, and 43 of unknown significance. Outcome of unfavorable and unknown subsets did not differ significantly in C versus A/B. Patients with complex karyotype or chromosome 7, 5q, or 3q abnormalities, as well as those with 11q23 abnormalities, had a similar outcome whatever their induction arm. Similarly, no benefit of early reinforcement was observed in the intermediate group, nor in patients with a normal karyotype even after adjustment on WBC or when considering only those aged less than 50 years. In the favorable subset, patients with either t(8;21) (N=30) or inv(16) (N=26) had identical long-term outcome. Contrary to other subsets, this outcome differed strikingly among induction arms with better disease-free survival in arm C (64% versus 28% at 5 years, P=.05 after adjustment on WBC) with a similar trend observed for event-free survival. The value of higher than standard doses of cytarabine in CBF-AML patients, either during induction or as post-remission therapy, has been demonstrated by several cooperative groups. Our results do suggest that early introduction of ID-AraC is also associated with long-term benefit in this favorable subgroup of patients, even greater when made at day 8 instead of day 20. We will evaluate prospectively this induction approach in the next French Intergroup CBF-AML study, in which all patients will then receive high-dose cytarabine during post-remission therapy.

From 1994 to 2000, 984 adults aged from 15 to 55 years with newly diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) were eligible for randomization in the multicentric LALA-94 clinical protocol. The t(9;22), t(1;19) and t(4;11) translocations corresponding to BCR-ABL, E2A-PBX1 and MLL-AF4 fusion gene transcripts respectively, were considered as independent poor prognostic factors. Standardized RT-PCR analysis of these fusion gene transcripts were performed by 17 laboratories in order to provide data before the second randomization (J35) on 787 patients. In this multicentric study, validated data were available for therapeutic stratification for 91% of these analysed patients. No false positive RT-PCR was reported. Secondarily to retrospective BCR-ABL FISH, few false BCR-ABL negative RT-PCR were identified, leading to the design of new BIOMED-1 primers for b3-a3 junctions detection. Moreover, the LALA-94 study allowed to define new guidelines for molecular analysis at diagnosis. Like in other studies, the BCR-ABL transcript was found to be the most frequent molecular abnormality in B-ALL (24%) whereas MLL-AF4 and E2A-PBX1 were detected in 5% and 3.5% of B-ALL, respectively. Epidemiological and clinical data of MLL-AF4 and E2A-PBX1 were concordant with previous publications. Interestingly, because of the large number of reviewed patients, the different BCR-ABL subtypes (M-BCR and m-BCR) were statistically characterized by few clinical data. M-BCR subgroups had a higher age than m-BCR (p= 0.016) and occurs especially during the second semester (p= 0.034). Moreover, the comparison of clinical data at diagnosis of M-BCR variants showed that median age of b3a2 was statistically younger than b2a2 (p= 0.04) and that b3a2 occurs more frequently in man (p= 0.02). For the first time, these data suggest that these BCR-ABL breakpoints: m-BCR and M-BCR and also b2a2 and b2a3, are secondary to different physio-oncologic mechanisms even if therapeutic regimens including the same targeted therapy (tyrosine kinase inhibitor) for all BCR-ABL variants is the rule today.

A 26-year-old man with hypereosinophilic syndrome who had initial neurologic, cardiac, and pulmonary dysfunction, high eosinophil count, thrombocytopenia, and bone marrow fibrosis had only a transient response to conventional treatment with corticosteroids and hydroxyurea. He therefore received human lymphocyte antigen-identical allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) after conditioning with cytoxan and fractionated total body irradiation. Hematologic recovery was prompt, with normalization of blood counts and bone marrow. The patient died less than 3 months after transplantation from diffuse cytomegalovirus infection. Potential interest of BMT in patients with resistant hypereosinophilic syndrome and features of poor prognosis is discussed.