[Chemotherapy of adult ANLL]

One hundred ninety six previously untreated patients of adult acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) were treated with B-DOMP therapy. 102 patients were treated in the conventional rooms and 94 patients were in the laminar airflow rooms. The complete remission (CR) rates were 78.4%, and 84.0% respectively. The CR rate of the groups whose age was 60 years or older was higher for the patients treated in the laminar airflow room than those is conventional rooms (75.8% versus 60.0%), and the fatality from fungal infection was substantially lower for the laminar air-flow room patients. Non cross resistant chemotherapy based on alternate administration of Daunorubicin (DNR) and Aclarubicin (ACR) was given to 54 patients with ANLL in remission. The median duration of remission was 48.0 months, with 38.4%, patients in remission at 8 years. A plateau phase indicating freedom from the risk of leukemic recurrence is not clearly apparent yet. The most serious toxicity was drug induced cardiotoxicity from increased total dose by long term maintenance therapy. Newly planned post remission chemotherapy that incorporated Etoposide and Mitoxantrone with ACR and DNR was given to 35 patients with ANLL in remission. Seventy nine percent (79%) of patients were remaining in remission at 2 years. Because many patients experienced significant side effects after each course of therapy, intensive post remission chemotherapy should be used in a setting where the physician is always attending and ready to serve the patients.