THE TREATMENT OF LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA WITH CRUDE MYELOKENTRIC ACID

Eight cases of blastic lymphoid leukemia have been treated with myelokentric acid in crude form, because hypothetically in blastic lymphoid leukemia there is a deficiency of this material. The crude myelokentric acid was used because it was more easily obtained than partially purified material. Purification of biologically active materials by methods of extraction and precipitation necessarily results in a considerable loss of material. Thirteen partial remissions occurred following the administration of crude myelokentric acid. Seven of the 8 patients have died, and 5 necropsies were performed.

The necropsy material adds further weight to the belief that the remissions were induced by the myelokentric acid in that in all 5 necropsies there was a definite alteration in the histologic morphology as contrasted with the findings in the necropsies of the controls.

It seems inadvisable, however, to treat a large number of patients with this material because it is crude, it is relatively unavailable, and no standard dose has yet been devised.