SURVIVAL OF CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA - RESULTS OF THERAPY AT TATA-MEMORIAL-HOSPITAL, BOMBAY, INDIA

The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcome of patients who c ompleted therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and to study t he role of an aggressive induction regimen in preventing post therapy relapses. Four hundred and twenty-two patients with ALL who completed therapy during the period 1975-1991 were followed. Two hundred and six ty patients received the aggressive MCP 841 protocol and 162 patients received various other less aggressive treatment regimens. Patients we re followed with periodic examination and complete blood counts. The i ncidence of post therapy relapse was 27% in the less aggressive protoc ols and 15% in the MCP 841 protocol (p = 0.001). An higher percentage of relapses was seen in males (p = 0.05) and 89% relapses occurred wit hin two years of stopping therapy. The relapse rate after 5 years of c essation of therapy was 0.59%. In conclusion, aggressive induction the rapy is the most crucial factor in predicting relapses following cessa tion of therapy in ALL patients. However, relapses are unlikely to occ ur five years post therapy.