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In adult acute nonlymphoblastic leukaemia extended maintenance chemotherapy has no benefit
Author(s) -
Jacobs Peter,
Dubovsky D. W.,
Wood Lucille
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.2830160307
Subject(s) - medicine , complete remission , chemotherapy , maintenance therapy , spontaneous remission , surgery , cytarabine , gastroenterology , alternative medicine , pathology
Fifty‐two consecutive and previously untreated adults with nonlymphoblastic leukaemia underwent remission induction chemotherapy with a combination of the epipodophyllotoxin VP16‐213, cytosine arabinoside, and doxorubicin (Adriamycin). Complete remission was achieved in 23 of the 52 patients (44%) by means of a single course of therapy in 20 individuals, two courses in two, and three courses in one; median duration of complete remission was 48 weeks. Failure to achieve remission status was due to primary drug resistance in 13 patients (25%), and adequate trial of therapy was not possible in 16 patients (31%) owing to their late referral and accounts for the low remission rate. Individuals achieving complete remission were randomly assigned to receive either 6 (n = 8) or 15 months (n = 13) of maintenance therapy; respective median survival was 95 and 78 weeks (P > 0.10). These data confirm previously reported results for complete remission induction with this three‐drug combination and fail to show any difference between short (6 months) and long (15 months) maintenance chemotherapy.