Estimates of the bone marrow granulocyte reserve were made in 97 patients with lymphoma utilizing the endotoxin Pyrexal. Normal granulocyte responses were observed in most patients who had not received prior myelosuppressive therapy. Patients with lymphosarcoma responded as well as those with Hodgkin’s Disease. All patients with leukopenia due to previous therapy or marrow infiltration failed to respond. In the absence of leukopenia only 47% of previously treated patients achieved normal responses. The severity of granulocytopenia produced by intravenous alkylating agent therapy was correlated with pretreatment Pyrexal responses. Patients with normal granulocyte reserves, as demonstrated by this test, tolerated subsequent chemotherapy with significantly less severe granulocytopenia (p <0.02) than patients with abnormal test responses. Nadir granulocyte values below 1000 cells/cu mm developed in 7 of 33 patients with normal Pyrexal responses and in 11 of 15 abnormal responders, despite comparable pretreatment granulocyte values.

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© 1972 by American Society of Hematology, Inc.
1972
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