0938

CURATIVE EFFECTS OF ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA IN CHILDREN AND THEIR PROGNOSES

PAN K-L, CHENG S-Q, QIAN X-H, SHANG L

Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xian, China

Objective: To compare the complete remission (CR) and continuous complete remission (CCR) resulting from two different treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children in the hope to determine the factors that could affect the long-term survival of ALL patients.

Methods: 44 patients were divided into two groups according to the drugs administered in the chemotherapy. In Group A (12 cases), VCP (VCR, CTX, Pred.) were used in remission induction therapy; MTX and Ara-C were used in prophylaction therapy of extramedullary leukemia; 6-MP and MTX were used in maintenance therapy; and VCP and COAP (VCR, CTX, DXM and Pred.) were used alternatively in consolidation and intensification. In Group B (32 cases), the recommended formula for treating All laid down at the Beihai Convention in Guangxi, in 1983 was followed, though the dosage of HD-MTX was 1.5-2.0g/m² each time instead of the recommended dosage.

Results: After 4 weeks’ treatment, CR was obtained in all of the 44 patients. But to obtain CR, it took Group A 3.83±0.41 weeks and it took Group B 3.00 ±0.82 weeks (P<0.05). To obtain CCR, it took Group A 20.31±16.71 months and it took Group B 43.5±25.56 months (P<0.05). The recurrence in Group A and Group B was 66.7% and 32.5% respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of complications during the chemotherapy.

Conclusion: In Group B, where chemotherapy was somehow more powerful, the intensified therapy not only obtained CR within a shorter period of time, it also proved to be markedly better than the treatment used in Group A in both obtaining CCR and preventing recurrence. The occurrence of the complications resulting from chemotherapy could be prevented or reduced so long as appropriate measures were taken and good cooperation was provided by the parents of the patients.