title: Interleukin-2 before and/or after autologous bone marrow transplantation for pediatric acute leukemia patients.
abstract: The role of ABMT in the treatment of acute leukemia patients with poor prognosis is controversial because of the high risk of relapse. We attempted to obtain an anti-tumor effect by administering rIL-2 pre- and/or post-ABMT. We report our experience in 10 consecutive pediatric patients: two AML late responders and eight ALL in 2nd or subsequent CR who received ABMT and rIL-2. Five patients (group A) received rIL-2 only post-ABMT. A 120 h/week rIL-2 'induction' cycle at 6 x 10(6) IU/m2/24 h was administered by continuous intravenous infusion for 2 weeks. A further six maintenance rIL-2 cycles at 18 x 10(6) IU/m2/24 h were given 72 h/week on a monthly basis. Five patients (group B) received a single 120 h cycle of rIL-2 at 6 x 10(6)/m2/24 h before BM harvesting. Three of the five group B patients entered the same protocol described above after ABMT. Increased NK and LAK activity were documented. The cycles were well tolerated; no delayed engraftment in group B was observed. One patient in group A and two patients in group B are still in CCR, respectively 47, 42 and 15 months after ABMT. Our rIL-2 regimen; pre- and/or post-ABMT, was safely tolerated and induced significant immunomodulatory effects in pediatric patients
authors: Centro Leucemie Infantili, Università di Padova, Italy.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Messina
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Zambello
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Rossetti
authors: M V
authors: MV
authors: Gazzola
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Varotto
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Destro
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Basso
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Semenzato
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Zanesco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins