Treatment of childhood lymphocytic leukaemia with high white-cell counts

Combination chemotherapy with cytosine arabinoside, cyclophosphamide and L-asparaginase (Asnase) was given to 22 children with acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) with a white-cell count greater than 30 X 10(9)/1, and other features suggestive of poor prognosis. Complete remission was induced in all patients--in 19 after 2 courses of chemotherapy and in the remainder after a third course. During induction, neutropenia occurred in 18 and severe infection in 3. Anaphylaxis to Asnase occurred in 8 patients after the second course and one other had transient Asnase-induced diabetes. All patients received central-nervous-system prophylaxis after achieving remission, during which they were also treated with weekly vincristine and a 2-week course of prednisolone. Continuation therapy consisted of short cycles of intermittent chemotherapy and BCG inoculation or long cycles of intermittent chemotherapy +/- BCG. Life-table analysis shows 46% complete remission rate at 28 months, with 6 patients all in complete remission followed up between 28 and 41 months. There were minimal complications of continuation therapy, and BCG inoculation was well tolerated.