[Bone marrow transplant in acute leukemia in children. Experience of the Pesaro group].

Thirty children aged one to 15 years with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia were transplanted from HLA matched donors using two different preparative regimens: 18 patients were prepared with cyclophosphamide and Total Body Irradiation while 12 patients received Busulphan and Cyclophosphamide. 15 patients survive 7 to 74 months after transplant. Although for the second group of patients a longer follow-up is needed in order to evaluate eradication of the disease and long-term toxicity, the combination chemotherapy alone results in improving survival (71% versus 28%) and decreasing relapse rate (30% versus 56%) compared with the group of patients who received the chemoradiotherapy regimen. Also the incidence of Interstitial Pneumonia has been lower in the group receiving chemotherapy alone. We conclude that this protocol is generally well tolerated in young patients, without increasing secondary toxicity.