title: Intensive induction/consolidation therapy without maintenance in adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a pilot assessment. Working Party on Leukaemia of the Swiss Group for Epidemiologic and Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK).
abstract: Maintenance chemotherapy for up to 3 years is traditionally given to patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) achieving complete remission. We questioned the value of such maintenance therapy in adult patients treated with intensive induction/consolidation. In a phase II study (SAKK 33/86) 63 patients between 17 and 72 years of age (median 27 years) with newly diagnosed ALL were treated with three intensive cycles of marrow-ablative chemotherapy. All subtypes were included. No maintenance phase was added. 53 patients (84%) entered a complete remission (CR) and 21 (33%) continue to be in unmaintained remission for 11-69 months (median 21 months). The disease-free survival of patients achieving CR and completing all three cycles is 40% at 3 years, with a 95% confidence interval of +/- 19%. These findings are comparable to the results of conventional studies. We conclude that maintenance therapy might not be needed in all adult ALL patients. Its value should be tested in a randomized trial. For patients failing, novel approaches are needed to improve outcome in adult ALL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Aarau, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wernli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tichelli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: von Fliedner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brun del Re
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chapuis
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fopp
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gmür
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Grob
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011336:Probability; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods