Abstract
Therapy for acute leukemia has improved so rapidly in the last 22 years that many clinical investigators are evaluating therapy regimens designed to be curative rather than merely palliative [1, 2, 3]. For the childhood form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) the frequency of induction of at least one complete hematological remission is in excess of 85 per cent. Virtually every child with ALL treated with vincristine and prednisone with or without addition of a drug such as 6-mercaptopurine will demonstrate complete regression of all evidence of disease. This is associated with complete recovery of bone marrow function resulting in normal levels of the formed elements of the blood within 3 to 5 weeks following diagnosis. Chemotherapy has such a high degree of selectivity for the tumor that remission induction can be accomplished with little morbidity and virtually no mortality. The requirements for supportive therapy are minimal in the majority of children. The exceptional failures are recorded only in children with established, irreversible complications such as hemorrhage and infection. Thus, the job of inducing remission of disease for ALL is virtually accomplished.
Supported in part by Grants No. CA 10376 and CA 05831 and CA 03754 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service, Bethesda, Maryland 20014.
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Freireich, E.J., Bodey, G.P., Hart, J.S., Whitecar, J.P., Mccredie, K.B. (1971). Current Status of Therapy for Acute Leukemia. In: Ultmann, J.E., Griem, M.L., Kirsten, W.H., Wissler, R.W. (eds) Current Concepts in the Management of Lymphoma and Leukemia. Recent Results in Cancer Research, vol 36. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46259-7_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46259-7_14
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