Combination chemotherapy in adults with acute leukaemia

Ten patients with ALL and 35 with AML received combination chemotherapy at out Institute during the period 1972 - 1975. Patients with ALL were treated according to the L-2 protocol, those with AML according to the L-2, MRC 5/A, MRC 5/B and TRAP protocols. Nine of the 10 patients with ALL entered complete remission, and median survival time of these patients was 9.2 months. Four of the 35 patients with AML achieved complete, 13 partial remission. Median survival in this group was 4 months. Infection and bleeding represented the most frequent and severe forms of complication. Bleeding was well controlled by the administration of platelet concentrates, but infections were often lethal. The poor results were probably due to the high incidence of severe infections.