title: Treatment of primary refractory or relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children.
abstract: Thirty-one intensively pretreated children with ALL in first bone marrow relapse or refractory to initial therapy were treated with a combination of intermediate-dose Ara-C and idarubicin (IDA). Twenty-four patients (77%) achieved complete remission (CR), 8 patients relapsed early and 2 were removed from the study. Fourteen (45% of the original 31 patients) underwent bone marrow transplant (BMT) and 7 of them (22%) are still in continuous CR (CCR) with a median follow-up of 18 months. These results confirm that it is possible to achieve CR even in ALL children who failed on an initial intensive regimen. Newer modalities of post-remission therapy, especially for children lacking an HLA donor, should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia Umana, Universita La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Testi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Moleti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giona
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Iori
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miniero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pigna
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amadori
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mandelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D015255:Idarubicin