title: Follow-up of the first (1962) pilot study of active immunotherapy of acute lymphoid leukaemia: a critical discussion.
abstract: The follow-up of the first active immunotherapy (AI) controlled pilot study on acute lymphoid leukaemia (ALL), started in 1962, is reported: seven patients out of 20 are still in first remission and eight of the AI group are still alive between 10 and 13 years later, while all ten controls have relapsed and died. The methodology of this pilot study is discussed, as well as the results of the later AI trials conducted on ALL. In the light of a critical discussion and of the further trials conducted by the authors or published in the literature, the authors conclude that A1 is efficient in ALL and that its use is indicated as, in several trials, it has been as active as maintenance chemotherapy, as it has induced no deaths in 300 patients contrary to maintenance chemotherapy, which has been responsible for 4 to 28% of deaths in patients in complete remission, and as the authors have registered no late relapses after three years in the AI trials, while such relapses appear in most maintenance chemotherapy trials.
mesh_terms: D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine