Progress in the treatment of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Despite improvements in the achievement of complete remission and progress in the supportive care of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during the last decade, the majority of patients have eventually relapsed with overall survival in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia of only 30-40%. However, the recent approach of adapting therapy according to biologic features appears to be resulting in significant progress for specific subsets of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The present review highlights some of these new risk-adapted approaches focusing on recent advances in treatment of Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia and mature B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using biologically targeted therapies, and new approaches to treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in older adolescents and young adults, adopting therapeutic strategies employed in the successful treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A recent study that examines the role of allogeneic stem cell transplant for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first remission will also be reviewed.

The subset-specific approach to therapy of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia is beginning to result in promising improvements in survival. Future improvements in survival of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia will depend on participation in large cooperative group trials using biologically defined protocols for this relatively rare and heterogeneous group of diseases.