The Role of GM-CSF in the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

After a first study showed that GM-CSF following chemotherapy effectively accelerated neutrophil recovery and reduced early mortality in high risk patients with AML, a second study was begun in which GM-CSF was applied preceeding chemotherapy and continuing until neutrophil recovery in the initial 5 chemotherapy courses for patients with newly diagnosed AML. The CR rate in patients of 16-75 (median 50) years was 75% in GM-CSF patients and 84% in controls. GM-CSF patients showed a trend to more frequent rapid blast clearance and fewer persistent leukemias and a significantly superior remission duration as of this update two-and-a-half years after the study started. It should be shown later by this study whether GM-CSF multiple course priming and longterm administration adds to the cure rate of patients with AML.