SUPRALETHAL WHOLE BODY IRRADIATION AND ISOLOGOUS MARROW TRANSPLANTATION IN MAN*†

Abstract

Leukemia has been studied in two sets of identical two. One leukemic twin was irradiated with 850 r and the other with 1,140 r from Co/sup 60/ sources. Each was then given bone marrow from the respective normal twin. Successful transplantation of this isologous marrow was determined by the return of morrow function, evident after less than two weeks, and by a benign clinical course following radiation. Leukemia recurred after remissions of seven weeks in one case and 12 weeks in the other. From these two patients it was concluded that transplants of isopogous marrow are readily achieved in man; one thousand r of whole-body radiation does not produce troublesome acute radiation sickness in man when given at a rate of 20 to 40 r per hour; whole-body irradiation at the 1,000 r level produces a remission but not a cure of leukemia when followed by isologous marrow. (auth)