title: Oral methotrexate/6-mercaptopurine may be superior to a multidrug LSA2L2 Maintenance therapy for higher risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: results from the NOPHO ALL-92 study.
abstract: The importance of maintenance therapy for higher risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is uncertain. Between 1992 and 2001 the Nordic Society for Pediatric Haematology/Oncology compared in a nonrandomized study conventional oral methotrexate (MTX)/6-mercaptopurine (6MP) maintenance therapy with a multidrug cyclic LSA2L2 regimen. 135 children with B-lineage ALL and a white blood count > or =50 x 10/L and 98 children with T-lineage ALL were included. Of the 234 patients, the 135 patients who received MTX/6MP maintenance therapy had a lower relapse risk than the 98 patients who received LSA2L2 maintenance therapy, which was the case for both B-lineage (27%+/-5% vs. 45%+/-9%; P=0.02) and T-lineage ALL (8%+/-5% vs. 21%+/-5%; P=0.12). In multivariate Cox regression analysis stratified for immune phenotype, a higher white blood count (P=0.01) and administration of LSA2L2 maintenance therapy (P=0.04) were both related to an increased risk of an event (overall P value of the Cox model: 0.003), whereas neither sex, age at diagnosis, administration of central nervous system irradiation, nor presence of a day 15 bone marrow with > or =25% versus <25% lymphoblasts were of statistical significance. These results indicate that oral MTX/6MP maintenance therapy administered after the first year of remission can improve the cure rates of children with T-lineage or with higher risk B-lineage ALL.
authors: Institute of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen, Denmark. kschmiegelow@rh.dk
authors: Kjeld
authors: K
authors: Schmiegelow
authors: Mats
authors: M
authors: Heyman
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Kristinsson
authors: Ulla B
authors: UB
authors: Mogensen
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Rosthøj
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Vettenranta
authors: Finn
authors: F
authors: Wesenberg
authors: Ulla
authors: U
authors: Saarinen-Pihkala
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate; D003630:Daunorubicin