Comparison of busulphan, hydroxyurea and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in chronic myeloid leukaemia: BMT prolongs survival.

Introduction: Whether busulphan-treated patients develop blastic transformation earlier than hydroxyurea treated has been a controversial issue. In a randomised prospective study, we examined the busulphan versus hydroxyurea influence on time to blast crisis and on survival. When we opened our study in 1984, the clinical benefit of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was not well known; to follow up the long-time outcome of this treatment was therefore of great interest.

Effect of interferon alpha-2b in advanced multiple myeloma.

The antitumour effect of recombinant human interferon (rh-IFN) alpha-2b was studied in 22 patients with advanced multiple myeloma (MM). Nine of 14 evaluable cases were refractory to cytostatic therapy; five were in relapse. rh-IFN was administered s.

Plasma fibronectin deficiency during chemotherapy of acute myeloid leukaemia.

Plasma fibronectin was determined using a laser nephelometric method in 10 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy. There was a continuous fall during the first 3 weeks to about 50% of the normal level. The decrease of fibronectin may contribute to the lowered resistance against infection characteristic of these patients.

A case-referent study on acute myeloid leukemia, background radiation and exposure to solvents and other agents.

The effect of potential risk factors for acute myeloid leukemia was evaluated in a case-referent study encompassing 42 cases and 244 referents, all deceased. Information on exposure was obtained with questionnaires mailed to the next of kin. Particularly the effect of background radiation was evaluated, as assessed with a gamma radiation index weighing the time spent outdoors and indoors and considering the building material (stone, wood, etc.