An eight year experience with gradually longer interval postremission therapy for adults with acute leukemia

Between January 1980 and March 1983, a study was conducted into the effects of postremission therapy on 20 patients with acute leukemia who had achieved complete remission through induction therapy. Postremission therapy consisted of cyclic administration of six combination therapies given at gradually longer intervals. Postremission therapy used DCMP (D, daunorubicin; C, cytosine arabinoside; M, 6-mercaptopurine; P, prednisolone), DCyMP (Cy, cyclocytidine), DCVP (V, vincristine), BHAC-DMP (BHAC, behenoyl-ara-c), BHAC-AMP (A, aclarubicin) and ACM-MP (ACM, aclacinomycin). Six combinations were given sequentially starting at one month interval, and then at 2, 3, 4, 5 and eventually 6 month intervals until 5 year survival was reached. The median remission duration was 38 months for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and 17 months for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The median survival was 66 months for AML, and 33 months for ALL. The survival rate at 5 years was 60% for AML., 40% for ALL, and 50% in all 20 patients. Methotrexate and prednisolone were administered intrathecally for prophylaxis of CNS leukemia on Day 4 of each stage of postremission therapy. There was no CNS leukemia. This postremission therapy was shown to be effective in improving the prognosis of adults with acute leukemia.