title: Long-term results of the pediatric oncology group studies for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia 1984-2001: a report from the children's oncology group.
abstract: From 1984 to 2001, the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) conducted 12 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) studies. Ten-year event-free survival (EFS) for patients >12 months of age with B-precursor ALL on acute leukemia in children 14, 15 and 16 series were 66.7+/-1.2%, 68.1+/-1.4% and 73.2+/-2.1%, respectively. Intermediate dose methotrexate (ID MTX; 1 g/m(2)) improved outcomes for standard risk patients (10-year EFS 77.5+/-2.7% vs 66.3+/-3.1% for oral MTX). Neither MTX intensification (2.5 g/m(2)) nor addition of cytosine arabinoside/daunomycin/teniposide improved outcomes for higher risk patients. Intermediate dose mercaptopurine (1 g/m(2)) failed to improve outcomes for either group. Ten-year EFS for patients with T-cell ALL, POG 8704 and 9404 were 49.1+/-3.1% and 72.2+/-4.7%, respectively. Intensive asparaginase (10-year EFS 61.8 vs 42.7%) and high-dose MTX (5 g/m(2)) (10-year EFS 78.0 vs 65.8%) improved outcomes. There was a non-significant improvement in EFS for infants (10-year EFS 17.7+/-7.2-31.9+/-8.3%). Prognostic indicators for B-precursor ALL were age and WBC at diagnosis, gender, central nervous system disease, DNA index and cytogenetic abnormalities. Only gender was prognostic in T-cell ALL. In infants, WBC and MLL translocation were linked to inferior outcome.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. salzerw@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Salzer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devidas
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Winick
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pullen
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hunger
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Camitta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult