title: Inverse correlation of antiviral antibody titers and the remission length in patients treated with viral oncolysate: a possible new prognostic sign in acute myelogenous leukemia.
abstract: In a study conducted since August 1974 by the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, 57 of 107 patients suffering from acute myelogenous leukemia achieved a complete remission. Thirty of these 57 patients were randomly selected to receive maintenance chemotherapy alone; the other 27 patients received, in addition to the same chemotherapy, monthly injections of viral oncolysate (i.e., formalin-treated fowl plaque virus-infected allogenous leukemia cells). The levels of antifowl plaque virus antibody titers in the sera were determined at regular intervals. All patients with an initial antibody titer of zero and a titer increase after the very first injection of oncolysate had remission times of less than six months (P less than or equal to 0.02). After the fifth injection there wa a clear reverse correlation of titer values and remission lengths (P less than or equal to 0.01). Several patients showed an association of changes of antiviral antibodies in the serum and the percentage of myeloblasts in the bone marrow. Immunization by viral oncolysate can therefore be used to predict the course of patients who are in remission from acute myelogenous leukemia; it may furthermore be helpful in detecting patients whose treatment has been insufficient.
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral