Consolidation therapy without maintenance for acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia

The most effective therapy to prolong remission and to increase cure rates in patients with acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia is uncertain, and approaches vary from one course of consolidation to two years of maintenance and intensification therapy. We report the results of brief intensive therapy with daunorubicin, cytosine arabinoside and thioguanine, and no maintenance therapy, in 72 patients with a minimum follow-up period of two years. The complete remission rate was 67%, the median duration of remission was 11 months, and 23% of patients whose leukaemias went into remission, have remained in remission for three years and longer. These results are equivalent to those that have been reported with long-term chemotherapy.