[Principles of treatment of children with leukemia]

Current principles of curative treatment of childhood leukemia are based on eradication of the malignant cells, also in the central nervous system, with optimal supportive therapy and reduction of side effects of treatment. Application of these principles in the treatment of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) has proved to be possible in 'total therapy'. Thus far this is less the case in the treatment of children with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). An increase in effective chemotherapy and--if possible and necessary--bone marrow transplantation may contribute to curative treatment of these categories of patients. The optimal curative treatment of childhood leukemia is far from standardized. Extension of the application of monoclonal antibodies and the results of studies of pathophysiology and etiology of leukemia may improve future treatment results.