[Autograft of bone marrow for the treatment of acute leukemia: in vitro efficacy of anti-leukemic purification].

Autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) is a new technique which is currently being evaluated in the treatment of leukemias, lymphomas, and a few solid tumors. In patients with acute leukemia (AL), high dose therapy + ABMT is of little benefit if done at time of relapse. On the other hand, when used for consolidation of remission, either with cleansed or non cleansed marrow, it may improve disease-free survival. In patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) autografted during their 1st remission, the probability of remaining in remission at 2 years is 70 p. 100. It is slightly lower for patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL): 55 p. 100. The different techniques of cleansing the marrow, monoclonal antibodies, immunotoxins, drugs, are reviewed in this paper. A comparison of these techniques in term of tumor log cell kill is provided. ABMT is the best second line therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), either after relapse after conventional chemotherapy or partial failure (partial remission). In these patients, the probability of remaining in remission at 3 years is about 50 p. 100. ABMT is currently under trial in the treatment of solid tumors and some success has been obtained in carcinoma of the ovary, non-seminomatous tumor of the testis, neuroblastoma, and some selected breast cancers.