150 years after the first description of the clinical picture of "white blood" and the introduction of the term "leukemia" by R. Virchow it appears, that the leukemias, and the acute leukemias in particular, serve as an impressive example for the major improvements that have been achieved in the treatment but also in the understand ing of the biology of malignant dis orders. The international symposia "Acute Leukemia" which are held at Münster since 1986 have developed into an interna tional forum to review the current progress and the future perspectives of leukemia research and therapy at a high scientific and clinicallevel. Since the possibility for active participation in these symposia is somewhat restricted we are glad to have the opportunity to extend the information that was presented at the symposium "Acute Leukemias V - Experimental Approaches and Management of Refractory Disease" which was held from February 27 to March 2, 1994 to a broader audience of basic scientists and clinicians. This meeting was especiaIly designed to discuss experimen tal approaches and the management of refractory disease which allows to evaluate new experimental therapies on the basis of preclinical studies.

InhaltsangabeLeukemia Cell Biology.- Cell Differentiation and Programmed Cell Death: A New Approach to Leukemia Therapy.- CD34 and CD38 Expression on Blasts in Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Secondary AML.- Heterogeneity of HRX-FEL Fusion Transcripts in Adult and Pediatric t(4;11) ALL.- Pharmacokinetics - Clinical Implications.- Fludarabine and Ara-C Combination for Treatment of Adult Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Effects.- Pharmacokinetics of Ara-CMP-Stearate (YNK01) - Phase I Study of the Oral Ara-C Derivative.- Differential Effect of GM-CSF on the Intracellular Ara-C Metabolism in Normal Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Blasts.- Intracellular Retention of Cytosine-Arabinoside-Triphosphate in Leukemic Blast Cells from Children.- The Pharmacokinetics of Epipodophyllotoxins - Clinical Relevance.- Targeted Drug Therapy in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- Asparagine Levels in Children on E. Coli- and Erwinia-Asparaginase Therapy.- Chemo-Resistance.- Pharmacologic Modulation of Multidrug Resistance in Acute Leukemia: Results and Challenges.- Kinetic Resistance, Regrowth Resistance, and Multidrug Resistance in the Treatment of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).- Topoisomerases - from Basic Research to Clinical Implications.- Mechanisms of Acquired ARA-C and DAC-Resistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML): Development of a Model for the Study of Mutational Loss of Deoxycytidine Kinase (DCK) Activity.- Expression of P-Glycoprotein in Children and Adults with Leukemia - Correlation with Clinical Outcome.- Multidrug Resistance in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: Relevance to Clinical and Laboratory Data.- Mitoxantrone/Cytarabine with or without Quinine as a Potential MDR-Reserving Agent for the Treatment of Acute Leukemias.- In Vitro Modulation of Multidrug Resistance by BIBW22BS in Blasts of De Novo or Relapsed or Persistent AML.- In Vitro Drug Resistance Profiles in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- Growth Factors - Modulation.- The Expression and Regulation of G-CSF and GM-CSF.- In Situ Nick Translation as a Measure of Cell Death. Application to the Study of Growth Factors and Drug Sensitivity.- Molecular Mechanisms of Ara-C Signalling: Synergy and Antagonism with Interleukin-3.- Hematopoietic Recovery and Priming - Therapeutic Effects of GM-CSF in the Treatment of AML.- Improved Antileukemic Activity of the Combination of Ara-C with GM-CSF and IL-3 Fusion Protein (PIXY321).- A Double-blind Controlled Study of G-CSF Started Two Days Before Induction Chemotheraphy in Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia.- Effects of Growth Factors In Vitro on Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells.- The Experience of Polish Children's Leukemia Lymphoma Study Group on G-CSF and GM-CSF Interventional Use in Neutropenia Associated with Chemotheraphy of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).- Induction Therapy with Idarubicin, Ara-C, and VP-16 Followed by G-CSF and Maintenance Immunotherapy with Interleukin-2 for High-Risk AML.- Incidence of Infections in Adult Patients (> 55 Years) with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treated with Yeast-Derived GM-CSF (Sargramostim): Results of a Double-Blind Prospective Study by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group.- Chemotheraphy in AML.- New Approaches in the Treatment of AML and MDS.- S-HAM Salvage Therapy of Relapsed and Refractory AML Followed by Interleukin 2 Postremission Therapy.- Mitoxantrone-Etoposide or HD-ARA-C/Mitoxantrone for Remission Induction in Children with First Relapse of AML.- Sequential Mitoxantrone, Ara-C and VP-16 (s-MAV) Followed by Immuno-Maintenance-Therapy with Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in the Treatment of Refractory and Relapsed Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.- Mitoxantrone, Etoposide and Cyclosporine A Therapy for Relapsed and Refractory Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, A Pediatric Oncology Group Phase II Trial.- Sequential Chemotherapy with Mitoxantrone, Etoposide and Cytarabine for Previously Treated Acute Myeloid Leukemia. EMA 886 Regimen.- Treatme