Changes in granulocyte-macrophage colony formation in relation to chemotherapy and clinical progress in acute myeloblastic leukaemia patients.

To investigate the correlation between granulocyte-macrophage colony formation and the prognosis of acute myelocytic leukaemia, an in vitro colony formation assay using a practical method was performed at diagnosis in 50 patients newly diagnosed with acute myelocytic leukaemia. Granulocyte-macrophage colony counts were significantly lower in acute myelocytic leukaemia patients than in the control group (n = 5). The diminished colony formation was restored to within the normal range in 15 patients after complete remission was achieved. In eight patients, serial evaluation of granulocyte-macrophage colony formation was performed, and suppression of colony formation was observed at relapse. The comparison of granulocyte-macrophage colony counts at diagnosis between a group of patients with complete remission (n = 26) and a group of treatment failure cases (n = 24) revealed a significant difference suggesting that high counts of granulocyte-macrophage colony formation are predictive of a favourable prognosis for acute myelocytic leukaemia.