[Treatment of adult T-cell leukemia]

The treatment strategy for adult T-cell leukemia has not been established. CHOP derived combination chemotherapy protocols such as VEPA and VEPAM have failed to yield high complete remission rates and long survivals. Second or third generation combination chemotherapy regimens using alternative non-cross resistant drugs also have not achieved satisfactory results. A new multi-institutional trial attempting to increase dose intensity supported by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is bringing improved remission rates and survival times. Other strategies using autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood progenitor cells should be studied as a next step.