Treatment of recurrences of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children: results of BFM group and 7-year original investigations.

Treatment of recurrences of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children: results of BFM group and 7-year original investigations. A. I. Karachunsky , i. Yu, Belikova, A. Stakelberg, i. V, Baidun, A. G. Rumyantsev, E, G. Kra vchenko, N, V, Myakova, N; M, Trubina, G, Henze. Research Institute of Pedi atric Hematology, Moscow, Russia; R, Virchov Free University, Berlin, Germa ny. The paper presents the results of recurrent ALL treatment in children a chieved by BFM group (Germany) and those obtained by the authors for the la st 7 years. Treatment outcomes were analysed in 44 patients. Of them 5, 17 and. 22 had very early, early and late recurrences, respectively. Remission occurred in 88% and 52% of patients are in complete continuous remission ( CCR). Event Free Survival (EFS) with follow-up median 27 months reached 46% . CCR was achieved in 30% of children with early recurrences, and in 80% of those with late recurrences. EFS was 26 and 77%, respectively, the differe nces being significant. All the 5 patients with very early recurrences died , 4 of them because of the treatment toxicity. Treatment of recurrences aft er non-program initial therapy was much more successful than after programm ed chemotherapy according to the protocol ALL-BFM, especially effective was the treatment of late recurrences after initial non-program therapy. These patients can be referred to the group of the favorable prognosis.