title: Vincristine and prednisolone therapy in blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukaemia in childhood.
abstract: 6 cases of chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) blast crisis in childhood were treated with vincristine and prednisolone (V-P). In 3 terminal transferase ((TdT)-positive cases, blast cells were lymphoid in appearance. All 3 TdT-positive patients entered a complete remission but developed meningeal leukaemia. The mean duration of survival from the onset of blast crisis was 32 months. In 3 TdT-negative cases, V-P therapy was ineffective. The results of this study suggest that V-P therapy is more effective for CML blast crisis in childhood with TdT positive blast cells and that prophylactic central nervous system treatment is necessary to prevent meningeal leukaemia.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase