Maintenance management of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia

The necessity of intensive maintenance chemotherapy in enhancing the duration of life in patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) in remission has been evaluated. Twenty-four patients were managed with maintenance chemotherapy and 24 were not. In patients under 50, there was no evidence that maintenance prolonged survival. In patients over the age of 50, maintenance chemotherapy prolonged survival (p = 0.03). In both groups the duration of first remission appeared to be lengthened in patients on maintenance chemotherapy (p = 0.09). Since patients 50 and older were difficult to reinduce, it appears that the greatest prolongation of life for them is afforded by continuous maintenance chemotherapy which may forestall relapse. On the other hand, patients less than 50 years of age have a high likelihood of achieving a second complete remission; it is in this group that maintenance chemotherapy adds only to morbidity.