[Treatment of acute leukemias]

A review of the current attitude and the possibilities of the treatment of acute leukemias are presented. The basic principles of the treatment of different forms of acute leukemias are pointed out. A review of chemo-therapeutic devices which, most often joined together, are used nowadays in the treatment of acute leukemia is presented. The importance of the application of corresponding cytological and cytochemical methods for the separation of the acute lymphoblastic from the acute non-lymphoblastic leukemias is underlined, with regard to different ways of treatment and different reactions to the polycytostatic treatment. The mechanism of action of various cytostatics drugs is presented. The need for the simultaneous use of several cytostatics is underlined in order to achieve remission in as many patients as possible. At the end the authors underline the importance of the immunotherapy and of its future application in the treatment of acute leukemias and malignant neoplasms.