title: Treatment of childhood acute myeloid leukaemia using the BFM-83 protocol.
abstract: Thirty children presenting with acute nonlymphoblastic leukaemia from June 1984 to December 1989 were treated at one UK centre using a West German protocol, AML-BFM-83. This consisted of Induction, an intensive outpatient-based Consolidation regimen with seven different drugs and cranial irradiation, and Continuation therapy with thioguanine and cytosine arabinoside for 2 years with additional Adriamycin in the first year. Twenty-five children achieved complete remission (83%). There were two early deaths from haemorrhage and infection and three from Induction failure. After a median follow-up time of 60 months, nine relapses have occurred, all in the bone marrow. Life table analysis revealed a probability for survival at 5 years of 47%, event-free survival 43%, and event-free interval 50%. Median bed occupancy for chemotherapy and toxicity was 41 days, with median hospital stays of 29 days for Induction, 11 days for Consolidation and less than 1 day for Continuation. This data suggests that long-term remissions can be achieved in just under half of children with acute nonlymphoblastic leukaemia while creating only modest demands on inpatient resources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Birmingham Children's Hospital, England.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Darbyshire
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D005047:Etoposide; D003630:Daunorubicin