[Treatment of acute leukemia in relapse]

For the early diagnosis of recurrence of acute leukemia, differential count of the 5000 leukocytes was found very effective. In 29 cases out of 30 cases whose leukemic cells were elevated to the level higher than 10/5000 from the level of 0-4/5000 in stable stage of remission, overt recurrence was diagnosed by peripheral blood or bone marrow examination after 3-12 weeks. Prevention of overt recurrence was observed in several cases, in which an intensive treatment was administered at the early stage of recurrence. For the treatment of cases with overt recurrence, it is important to plan the treatment with drugs different from those used in previous treatment. AAAP therapy or new drugs such as mitoxantrone might be considered. In cases in which leukemic cells proliferate earlier than normal cells after intensive treatment, a sustained small dose Ara-C therapy was often effective.