The role of colony-stimulating factors in acute leukemia

Summary This article summarises the effects of colony-stimulating factors and related molecules on leukemia blasts by focussing on autocrine and paracrine growth control. This information may lead to a better understanding of the pathobiology of this highly malignant disorder, and may have therapeutic implications.Abbreviations used GM-, G-, M-CSF granulocyte-macrophage, granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factors - IL interleukin - AML-CFU acute myelogenous leukemia colony-forming unit - HGF hematopoietic growth factor The Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology publishes in loose succession Editorials and Guest editorials on current and/or controversial problems in experimental and clinical oncology. These contributions represent exclusively the personal opinion of the author.