Treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
In acute lymphoblastic leukaemia the combination prednisone-vincristine induces more than 85% complete remissions. L-asparaginase which was used in complete remissions, seemed to increase their duration. Actually the best maintenance treatment consists in the combination of 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate interrupted by reinductions. In other respects C.N.S. prophylaxis with intrathecal methotrexate and craniospinal irradiation is necessary. The well-known prognostic factors are: age, leucocytosis, tumoral syndrome, and cytological type: 216 cases of long remission have been observed. One group of these patients was treated by old methods: this represents 0.8 to 1% of the material, while 20% were treated by recent protocols with reinductions (20%).
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014750:Vincristine; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D001215:Asparaginase; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate