Maintenance chemoimmunotherapy of nonlymphoblastic acute leukemias

A trial of maintenance chemotherapy of nonlymphoblastic acute leukemia led to a comparison of two groups of patients in complete remission. Group 1 (14 patients) received only monthly reinduction chemotherapy. Group 2 (17 patients) received identical chemotherapy together with weekly immunotherapy combining BCG and irradiated leukemic cells. While the duration of the first complete remission was unmodified, the overall survival time and, above all, survival after the first relapse were prolonged in group 2 chemoimmunotherapy. These results were all the more marked when a homogeneous group of patients having received the same induction chemotherapy were considered.