Combination chemotherapy for acute lymphocytic leukaemia in 25 adults

Twenty-five consecutive adult patients with acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) all achieved complete remission, twenty-two with vincristine-prednisone, while thirteen patients also received daunorubicin (DNR). Three patients obtained remission only after treatment with cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C), 6 thioguanine (6-TG) and adriamycin (ADM). Despite central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis by intraventricular infections via an Ommaya reservoir, 2/22 patients had a CNS relapse. The median remission duration of the whole group was 19 months. Four patients could stop therapy after 3 years. The median survival duration of all patients was 38 months. The quality of life of the patients during this chemotherapeutic regimen was good.