Effect of priming with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in younger adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia: a trial by the Acute Leukemia French Association (ALFA) Group

Leukemia. 2007 Mar;21(3):453-61. doi: 10.1038/sj.leu.2404521. Epub 2007 Jan 25.

Abstract

In a multicenter trial, 259 young adults (15-49 years) with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were first randomized to receive a timed-sequential induction regimen given either alone (135 patients) or concomitantly with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (124 patients). Patients reaching complete remission (CR) were then randomized to compare a timed-sequential consolidation to a postremission chemotherapy including four cycles of high-dose cytarabine followed by maintenance courses. In the appropriate arm, GM-CSF was given concurrently with chemotherapy during all cycles of consolidation. CR rates were significantly better in the GM-CSF arm (88 vs 78%, P<0.04), but did not differ after salvage. Patients receiving GM-CSF had a higher 3-year event-free survival (EFS) estimate (42 vs 34%), but GM-CSF did not impact on overall survival. Patients with intermediate-risk cytogenetics benefited more from GM-CSF therapy (P=0.05) in terms of EFS than patients with other cytogenetics. This was also confirmed when considering only patients following the second randomization, or subgroups defined by a prognostic index based on cytogenetics and the number of courses required for achieving CR. Priming of leukemic cells with hematopoietic growth factors is a means of enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy in younger adults with AML.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Amsacrine / administration & dosage
  • Amsacrine / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Cytarabine / adverse effects
  • Daunorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Daunorubicin / adverse effects
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / administration & dosage
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / pathology
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / surgery
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitoxantrone / administration & dosage
  • Mitoxantrone / adverse effects
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Premedication*
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Recombinant Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Risk
  • Salvage Therapy
  • Stimulation, Chemical
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Amsacrine
  • Cytarabine
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • molgramostim
  • Mitoxantrone
  • Daunorubicin