title: Treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults with intensive induction, consolidation, and maintenance chemotherapy.
abstract: The Southwest Oncology Group conducted a study of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults over a 5-year period, testing the utility of the L-10M regimen initially described by the group from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. One hundred sixty-eight eligible patients were treated with this intensive combination chemotherapy regimen. One hundred fifteen (68%) achieved complete remission. With the current median follow-up time of 34.5 months, the median durations of remission, relapse-free survival, and overall survival were 22.9, 20.9, and 17.7 months, respectively. Only 35% of the patients over 50 years of age achieved a complete remission. Age was a significant prognostic factor for complete response, survival, relapse-free survival, and remission duration. In addition, a low initial WBC count was found to have a statistically significant association with longer remission duration. Responders between the ages of 20 and 49 years with WBC counts of less than 15,000 appear to have an exceptionally good prognosis.
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City.
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dahlberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Head
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Waddell
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dabich
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Weick
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Saiki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Rivkin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D015206:Southwestern United States
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor