title: Intensive retreatment of adults and children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: Twenty-three patients (16 adults) failing their first or subsequent (n = 8) intensive treatment for de novo acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and chronic myeloid leukemia lymphoid blast phase (n = 2) were managed with protocol POG 8201, originally introduced in relapsed ALL of childhood. In this programme, a four-drug induction phase is followed by early consolidation with teniposide-cytarabine, intrathecal chemotherapy, continuation weekly chemotherapy alternating teniposide-cytarabine with vincristine-cyclophosphamide, and periodic reinduction courses. Fourteen adults and five children with ALL achieved a complete response (CR) (86 per cent). The highest response rate (100 per cent) was obtained in 12 patients treated at first relapse after an initial CR of greater than 18 months (p = 0.07). Median duration of CR was 8 months in adults and 11 months in children. A longer than previous one CR (inversion) was obtained in four cases. Four ALL patients were successfully transplanted from a matched sibling after 3-11 months from achievement of CR. Median overall survival in adults with ALL was 11 months, significantly longer than for 40 comparable cases treated intensively but without rotational continuation therapy in previous years (p less than 0.001). This regimen is applicable to adults with relapsed ALL, where prolongation of survival may allow time for effective salvage with bone marrow transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Ematologia, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bassan
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Cornelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Battista
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Terzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rambaldi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viero
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Emilio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barbui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001215:Asparaginase; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003630:Daunorubicin; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011241:Prednisone; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013713:Teniposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D013713:Teniposide; D001215:Asparaginase; D011241:Prednisone; D003630:Daunorubicin