We present here the long-term results of three randomized clinical trials conducted on children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) between 1983 and 1998 by the Children Leukemia Cooperative Group (CLCG) from EORTC. In study 58831/32, the overall event-free survival (EFS) rates (± s.e.) at 6 and 10 years were 66% ± 1.8% and 65% ± 1.8%, respectively, and the risk of isolated central nervous system (CNS) relapse was 6% ± 1% and 7% ± 1%, respectively. In patients with a standard risk of relapse the omission of cyclophosphamide had no adverse effect on disease-free survival rates at 10 years (trial 58831). In medium-and high-risk patients the omission of radiotherapy did not increase the risk of CNS or systemic relapse (trial 58832). In study 58881 (1989-1998) the overall EFS rate at 8 years was 68.4% ± 1.2% and the risk of isolated CNS relapse was 4.2% ± 0.5%. In this trial which adressed three randomized questions, the following results were obtained: the combination of cytarabine at high doses with methotrexate at high doses during interval therapy did not improve prognosis. The addition of 6-mercaptopurine iv during maintenance increased the risk of late relapse. E. coli asparaginase was more toxic and has a higher efficacy than Erwinia asparaginase. Leukocyte counts Ͼ100 × 10 9 /l, specific genetic abnormalities, a poor initial response to steroids or a high level of minimal residual disease at early time points were consistently associated with an adverse prognosis in the 58881 trial.
Monosomy 7 (؊7) and deletion 7q [del(7q)]are rare in childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We retrospectively collected data on 258 children with AML or refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-T) and ؊7 or del(7q) with or without other cytogenetic aberrations [؎ other]. Karyotypes included ؊7 (n ؍ 90), ؊7 other (n ؍ 82), del(7q) (n ؍ 21), and del(7q) other (n ؍ 65). Complete remission (CR) was achieved in fewer patients with ؊7 ؎ other compared with del(7q) ؎ other (61% versus 89%, P < .001). Overall, the 5-year survival rate was 39% (SE, 3%). Survival was superior in del(7q) ؎ other compared with ؊7 ؎ other (51% versus 30%, P < .01). Cytogenetic aberrations considered favorable in AML [t(8;21)(q22;q22), inv(16)(p13q22), t(15;17)(q22;q21), t(9;11)(p22;q23)] (n ؍ 24) were strongly associated with del(7q) and a higher 5-year survival rate compared with del(7q) without favorable cytogenetics (75% versus 46%, P ؍ .03). Patients with ؊7 and inv(3),؊5/del(5q), or ؉21 had a 5-year survival rate of 5%. Stem cell transplantation analyzed as a time-dependent variable had no impact on overall survival. However, patients not achieving CR had a 31% survival rate after stem cell transplantation. Childhood AML with chromosome 7 aberrations represents a heterogeneous group of disorders with additional cytogenetic aberrations having a major prognostic impact which should be reflected in future riskgroup stratification. (Blood. 2007;109: [4641][4642][4643][4644][4645][4646][4647]
Intensified chemotherapy using CADO/CVP increases CR rates despite a shorter induction duration. However, the rate of MIBG normalization remains unsatisfactory and could be raised through the dose-intensive use of agents such as cyclophosphamide.
Out of 744 newly diagnosed ALL children under the age of 18 years treated according to the EORTC-CLCG protocols 58831 and 58832, 28 (4%) were infants less than 1 year of age. An elevated risk factor, which takes into account the sizes of the liver and spleen and the number of circulating blasts, was present in 25 cases. Most patients had non-common ALL. Among 15 patients studied by cytogenetics, nine present chromosomal abnormalities, six of them having a t(4;11) translocation. Complete remission was achieved in 86% of cases. One patient died in complete remission of therapy-related infection. The overall EFS is 43%. It is not statistically different in very young infants as compared to infants older than 6 months. Except for patients with AUL or with t(4;11) translocation, a continuous complete remission rate above 50% can be achieved with a median follow-up of 4 years. The results obtained in infant ALL with EORTC-CLCG protocols are currently better than those obtained with some other protocols, but remains inferior when compared to the ones obtained in older children. Thus, further improvements are needed and should be evaluated in large cooperative trials.
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