title: Treating childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL): summary of ten years' experience in Italy. ALL Steering Committee of the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP).
abstract: Between 1976 and 1986, 2,093 children with ALL were enrolled in three consecutive generations of trials conducted by the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP). A 50% event-free survival at 5 years was achieved overall in this population, approximately accounting for more than 50% of the entire childhood ALL population in Italy. Participation in the group protocols increased from the original seven founding centers to the current 37 institutions. Results in the standard population (non-T immunophenotype, non-FAB L3, and less than 50,000 white blood cells (WBC/ml) were considerably better with more recent, more aggressive protocols. The two major results in this population (N = 540) were a relatively low incidence (8% at 5 years) of central nervous system (CNS) relapse in the "good"-risk population (less than 10,000 WBC, ages 3-6 years, and FAB L1), without the use of cranial irradiation, and a projected 4-year disease-free interval for bone-marrow relapse of 80% in the "average"-risk group, where a three-drug reinduction program was adopted after consolidation. Overall, the event-free survival of the most recent generation (protocol 82, median follow-up time of 38 months) is 66% at 4 years (95% confidence limits [CL] 61-71). Based on these 10 years of experience, the general strategy of the group for the 90s is outlined and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Pediatrica, Ospedale S. Orsola, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paolucci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masera
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vecchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marsoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pession
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Zurlo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation