Rapid cytoreduction in acute leukemia. Management of cerebral leukostasis by cell pheresis.

A patient with acute myelogenous leukemia and symptoms of cerebral leukostasis failed to respond to initial chemotherapy. Reduction in blast count from 220,000/microliter to 40,000/microliter was accomplished over a five hour period by leukapheresis using an intermittent flow cell separator, and symptomatic improvement was dramatic. The technique is simple and rapidly effective and may prove a useful adjunct in the treatment of patients with acute leukemia and high blast counts.