Remission induction and continuation therapy in children with first relapse of acute lymphoid leukemia: a Pediatric Oncology Group study

Article Abstract:

In a recent study, researchers evaluated the treatment of 98 children who had been treated for acute lymphoid leukemia and who had subsequently relapsed. The patients were then treated with vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone. Although this treatment regimen more closely resembles that for acute nonlymphoid leukemia, the regimen was chosen for its dissimilarity to the normal regimen after which the patients have already relapsed. It was found that the site of the relapse was an important determinant of survival. Thirty-nine patients experienced their relapse in the bone marrow, a site traditionally associated with poor survival. Thirty-two of these 39 achieved a complete response to their second regimen of chemotherapy, but this remission could be sustained in only one. In contrast, of 20 patients with relapse occurring in the testes, 19 achieved complete responses; 11 of these response have persisted for over four years and the patients are considered cured. Thirty-six evaluable patients had relapses in the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain. Thirty-four had a second complete remission upon chemotherapy; the remission could be sustained for over four years in eight patients. The results confirm that the prognosis is bleak for children who relapse with leukemia in the bone marrow, but indicate that cures remain possible for children who relapse in the testes or the central nervous system. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Chemotherapy

---

Testicular relapse in children with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia

Article Abstract:

Testicular relapse has been well described for boys with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, there are fewer reports of testicular relapse in patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia, most probably because this form of leukemia has a relatively short disease-free survival. It is anticipated that as chemotherapeutic techniques improve, testicular relapse will become more common in this form of leukemia as well. A review of the records of 169 boys with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia revealed five patients with testicular relapse. The outcome of the patients was poor, and only one remains a long-term survivor. The patients were treated with additional chemotherapy, and all but one received radiation to the affected testis. In light of the poor outcome for these patients, the authors recommend that intensive chemotherapy and radiation to both testes as the appropriate treatment for such cases. Some leukemia researchers have reported that patients who relapse after the cessation of chemotherapy have a better prognosis than those who relapse during chemotherapy. Although it is impossible to confirm or deny this observation in only five patients, the only long-term survivor relapsed 11 months after voluntary withdrawal from chemotherapeutic treatment. This patient remains alive without evidence of disease over 58 months after his testicular relapse. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Case studies, Complications and side effects, Prognosis, Testicular cancer, Nonlymphoid leukemia in children

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Favorable prognosis associated with hyperdiploidy in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia correlates with extra chromosome 6: a Pediatric Oncology Group study
• Abstracts: Cranial nerve palsy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Two different lymph node metastatic patterns of a prostatic cancer
• Abstracts: The positive:negative dichotomy in schizophrenia. Assessing schizophrenia in adults with mental retardation: a comparative study
• Abstracts: Proliferation and DNA ploidy in malignant breast tumors in relation to early oral contraceptive use and early abortions
• Abstracts: Nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis associated with a draining abscess. part 2 Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus in unselected hospital admissions: implications for mandatory testing and universal precautions

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.