Abstract
The purpose of these studies was to determine whether chemotherapy interfered with the ability of peripheral blood monocytes from patients with osteosarcoma to respond to the liposome-encapsulated activating agent muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (L-MTP-PE). This was done in preparation of designing an adjuvant therapy protocol that includes L-MTP-PE combined with chemotherapy postoperatively for the treatment of primary osteosarcoma. The majority of patients who fail current adjuvant chemotherapy do so while on chemotherapy. Therefore, we believe it is important to combine L-MTP-PE with chemotherapy early in the treatment course rather than waiting until all chemotherapy cycles are completed. The tumoricidal properties of monocytes from patients with osteosarcoma could be activated by L-MTP-PE to levels equal to or greater than those expressed by normal control monocytes. No intrinsic monocyte defect could be demonstrated. Single-agent chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin (CPD), high-dose meth...

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