[Specific features of stem cell (CD34+) subvariant of acute lymphoblast cell leukemia in children].

The authors have examined 134 children with acute lymphoblast cell leukemia (ALCL) who were treated at the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Russian Cancer Research Center, in January 1990 to November 1999, and followed up till March 1, 1999. The mean duration of follow-ups was 57.46 +/- 2.

CD95 (FAS/APO-1) antigen is a new prognostic marker of blast cells of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients.

We analyzed CD95(Fas/APO-1) antigen expression on bone marrow blasts in 38 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receiving a treatment in the Department of Leukaemias at the Cancer Research Center in 1987-1989 years (n = 22) and in 1994-1997 years (n = 16). CD95 antigen expression was studied by monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) IPO-4 in indirect immunofluorescence analysis. CD95 antigen was expressed on 35.

[Cardioxane in pediatric oncohematology].

The tolerance of cardioxan (JCRF-187, dexrazoxan), an ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid analog and a Chiron Company product, administered to pediatric oncohematological patients, is discussed. The drug was used in 37 cases of acute lymphoblastic and non-lymphoblastic leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease treated by polychemotherapy including anthracycline antibiotics administration. No untoward side-effects or inhibition of the therapeutic effect were observed.

[Changes of lipid peroxidation parameters in children being treated for cancer].

Lipid peroxidation (LP) occurring in pediatric cancer patients receiving polychemotherapy has been investigated. Plasma level of malonic dialdehyde in children with retinoblastoma (Rtb) was found to drop while it remained unchanged in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The treatment caused different changes in the red cell catalase levels in said groups: the enzyme concentration increased in the Rtb patients in the course of therapy and decreased in the ALL group.

[Therapeutic results in children with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia treated with modified BFM-87 protocol].

The effectiveness of modification of the BFM-87 schedule of treatment received by 32 children with different forms of acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia since April, 1991, has been studied. Complete remission was recorded in 90% and 5-year recurrence-free survival--in 47%. Although the complication rate was higher as compared with the "7 + 3" schedule, mortality rates were relatively lower due to application of adjuvant therapy.

[Humoral antiviral immunity in children with hematologic neoplasms].

Antiviral humoral immunity was studied in patients with Hodgkin's disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and aplastic anemia (AA). Insufficiency of antiviral humoral immunity as regards antigenically unrelated viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae was characteristic of all these conditions. A remission of Hodgkin's disease and ITP was associated with a reliable increase of the studied parameters in comparison with the acute period of the disease.

[Late (after 5-year remission) recurrences of acute leukemia in children (a cooperative study)].

Cooperative investigations were conducted in seven Pediatric Hematologic Clinics (in Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Minsk and Tbilisi) to study the nature of late (after five years of remission) relapses of acute leukemia that were diagnosed in 21.6% of cases (in 80 out of 371 children) with long-term remissions. Late relapses in most patients occurred on the 6-7th year of remission.

[Pathogenesis of immunologic deficiency in the initial stage of lymphogranulomatosis in children].

Antilymphocytic monoclonal antibodies of HKO and OKT series were used to study surface antigens of peripheral blood and lymph node lymphocytes in 13 untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease. The purpose of the study was to identify the pathogenetic mechanism underlying the development of immunodeficiency in the early disease stages. The data obtained have demonstrated that the deficiency of T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood was connected with that of mature T cells in the lymph nodes revealed with the use of differential antigens complex.

Clinical effect and some pathogenic mechanisms of high dose monomeric IgG therapy in childhood chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

8 children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura received a high dose therapy with monomeric IgG. Before and after the treatment immunological investigations were carried out. All the children showed a positive clinical response, in 5 children there was an increase of thrombocytes to 111-340 X 10(9)/l.

[L-asparaginase study results (phase II of the clinical trials)].

Phase II clinical trials of L-asparaginase of leunase manufactured by "Kyowa" (Japan) was performed in cooperation by 5 institutions of the USSR on 49 patients with various forms of hemoblastosis, including 15 patients aged 1 to 15 and 34 patients aged 16 to 75. The drug was used in a daily dose of 200 IU per 1 kg body weight administered as intravenous drips daily for 2--3 weeks. The daily dose was divided into 2 doses administered at an interval of 12 hours.