[Levels of extracellular DNA and polyamines as criteria of resistance to chemotherapy in patients with acute leukemia].

Content of polyamines and extracellular DNA were studied in blood of patients with acute leukoses which did not respond to chemotherapy. Concentration of total polyamines was distinctly lower in blood of patients with acute lymphoblast and myeloblast leukoses as compared with healthy persons. Free and total polyamines were unaltered in blood of these patients after cytostatic therapy. In the patients with acute leukoses content of extracellular DNA was 2-fold higher as compared with controls. The high DNA content was maintained during the therapeutic course. Absence of any alterations in the biochemical patterns studied suggest that the patients with acute leukoses did not respond to the course of treatment used.