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Discontinuing therapy in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia a multicentric survey in Italy
Author(s) -
Mandelli Franco,
Amadori Sergio,
Rajnoldi Angelo Cantu,
di Montezemolo Luca Cordero,
Madon Enrico,
Masera Giuseppe,
Meloni Giovanna,
Pacilli Leonardo,
Paolucci Guido,
Pastore Guido,
Rosito Pasquale,
Uderzo Cornelio,
Vecchi Vico
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19800915)46:6<1319::aid-cncr2820460603>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - medicine , complete remission , pediatrics , acute lymphocytic leukemia , surgery , leukemia , chemotherapy , lymphoblastic leukemia
The results of discontinuing therapy in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia observed at four associated institutions are presented. Of the 247 patients who achieved complete remission, 122 (49.3%) reached the point of discontinuing therapy after 2–4 years of continuous remission. The median period off therapy was 13 months with a range of 1–69 months. Of the 122 children removed from therapy, 27 (22.1%) relapsed, mainly in the bone marrow; relapses occurred 1–32 months after cessation of therapy (median ten months) with only two relapses occurring later than two years. By actuarial analysis, 57% of the patients are projected in continuous remission after five years from cessation of therapy. Neither selected features at diagnosis nor single modalities of treatment were found to predict whether relapse would occur after discontinuing therapy. Long‐term remission and possibly cure can be expected in over one‐third of newly diagnosed children with ALL after 2–4 years of antileukemic treatment.