title: Day 7 marrow response and outcome for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and unfavorable presenting features.
abstract: The percent of marrow blasts on day 7 of therapy was determined for 128 children with previously untreated acute lymphoblastic leukemia and white blood count (WBC) greater than or equal to 50,000/microliters and/or lymphomatous features enrolled in the Childrens Cancer Study Group trial of the Berlin Frankfurt Munster 76/79 regimen (CCG-193P). Patients received four-drug induction therapy including vincristine, prednisone, l-asparaginase, and daunomycin. Ninety-seven patients had fewer than 25% marrow blasts on day 7. Of these, 94 survived and maintained remission through day 28 and were designated early responders. Thirty-one patients had greater than 25% marrow blasts on day 7. Of these, 28 survived and achieved remission on day 28 and were designated late responders. The outcome of patients who underwent a day 7 marrow aspiration was similar to those who did not. Early responders had a 77.4% +/- 4.5% (standard deviation) 3-year estimated disease free survival, while late responders had 47.3% +/- 9.8% (P less than 0.001). Early responders had a superior outcome both in the subset with an initial WBC less than 50,000/microliters (P = 0.025) and in the subset with a WBC greater than or equal to 50,000/microliters (P = 0.01). The day 7 marrow response had prognostic value in this population of children with unfavorable presenting features who received four-drug remission induction therapy.
authors.affiliation: Childrens Cancer Study Group, Pasadena, California 91101.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Gaynon
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Bleyer
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Steinherz
authors.forename: J Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Finklestein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Littman
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reaman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sather
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012397:Rosette Formation