title: Estimated 6-year event-free survival of 55% in 60 consecutive adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients treated with an intensive phase II protocol based on high induction dose of daunorubicin.
abstract: On the basis of a previous experience suggesting that daunorubicin dose in induction was an independent prognostic factor in adult ALL, we designed a chemotherapeutic regimen (ALLVR589) characterized by high doses of daunorubicin (270 mg/m2) in induction and by high-dose Ara-C in post-remission. The protocol was otherwise conventional: induction and post-remission therapy were followed by chemo-radio prophylaxis of the central nervous system (CNS) and periodical reinductions over a 3-year maintenance period. Sixty consecutive patients (male 42, female 18, median age 34 years, range 14-71; B-lineage, 35; T-lineage, 25; Ph' and bcr/abl positive, 7) recruited between 1989 and 1996, were evaluated for treatment outcome. Complete remissions were 56 (93%), one patient had refractory disease, early deaths were five (8%); 19/56 (34%) patients relapsed, five of whom were Ph'+. Median time to relapse was 11 months (range 3-47); 68% of relapses occurred within 12 months from CR. No CNS relapses were observed. After a median follow-up of 44 months (1-100), 33/60 (55%) patients remain event-free; 23/60 (38%) are off-therapy in continuous CR (median follow-up from diagnosis: 63 months; range 38-100). These results suggest that increasing DNM dosage in induction is one of the possible approaches to improve the outcome of adult ALL by decreasing the relapse occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Verona University School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Todeschini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tecchio
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meneghini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizzolo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Veneri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zanotti
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ricetti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: April
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perona
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D001215:Asparaginase; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate; D003630:Daunorubicin