[Treatment of acute leukemias]

The effective treatment of acute (myeloblastic and lymphoblastic) leukaemias depends on the induction of remissions as well as on the maintenance of these remissions. Whereas the use of anthracyclines and of cytosine arabinoside in different combinations notably increased the rate of induction of remissions, their maintenance was less successful until now. We present a scheme using, beside MTX and 6-MP, modified COAP regimes periodically every 3 months. The follow-up of 26 patients treated in this way is encouraging since nearly one third remained in full haematological remission after 3 years of observation.