[Cancer curable by chemotherapy: acute myelogenous leukemia]

Acute myelogenous leukemia (ALM) can be cured by chemotherapy. We have treated 121 adult AML cases for the past 9 years. With BHAC-DMP therapy starting in 1979, CR was obtained in 82% of 51 consecutive AML and the predicted 8-year continuing CR (CCR). Survival of CR cases was, 15 and 21%, respectively. Multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors revealed that % of blasts in the bone marrow at 2 weeks after the start of induction therapy was the most significant factor for CCR. Thus, we started BHAC-DMP (II) therapy with highly intensive induction therapy in 1983, but were forced to cancel this because of an intolerably high incidence of severe infections during the induction therapy. The CR rate was 76% in 29 consecutive patients, and the predicted 5-year CCR and survival of CR cases are 27 and 47%, respectively. Then we started M-85 protocol with intermediately intensive induction followed by 3 courses of highly intensive consolidation therapy using non-cross resistant drugs in 1985. The CR rate was 71% in 41 consecutive patients. Although 4 patients died of infections or myocardial infarction during the consolidation therapies, the predicted 2.5-year CCR and survival of CR cases are 76 and 74%, respectively, with a median follow-up of 28 months.