ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence of isolated central nervous system (CNS) relapses in patients of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with a protocol containing cranial irradiation and intrathecal methotrexate as CNS directed therapy. DESIGN: Prospective non randomized study. SETTING: Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital. SUBJECTS: 623 children of ALL on MCP 841. METHODS: CNS relapse was diagnosed, if upon examination of the CSF, more than 50 cells/microliter were observed, or a count of 5 cells which were unequivocally lymphoblasts. RESULTS: The incidence of isolated CNS relapse was 1.75% with the use of this treatment. Age, sex, white blood cell count, platelet count, lactic dehydrogenase and immunophenotyping were not significantly related to isolated CNS relapse. CONCLUSION: A low incidence of isolated CNS relapse demonstrates the adequacy of the presymptomatic CNS therapy.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use , Central Nervous System/pathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Combined Modality Therapy , Cranial Irradiation , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Humans , Leukemic Infiltration/prevention & control , Male , Methotrexate/therapeutic useABSTRACT
We evaluated harvested marrow cells for total nucleated cells (27.49 x 10(9)), absolute 'lymphocyte' count (6.29 x 10(9)) and CD 34 positive cells (3.57 x 10(9)). The same parameters were studied after in vitro manipulation to remove RBCs and plasma. Reinfused WBCs contained 12.87 x 10(9) nucleated cells, 4.25 x 10(9) absolute 'lymphocyutes' and 3.34 x 10(9) CD 34 positive cells. The corresponding figures for loss during in vitro manipulation (tubing, RBCs and plasma) are 14.62 (53.18%), 2.04 (32.43%) and 0.23 x 10(9) (6.44%) cells respectively. Therefore CD 34 positivity may be a better indicator of total yield, loss during manipulation and reinfusion of hemopoietic progenitor cells in bone marrow transplantation.