Prevention of Meningeal CNS Involvement as a Factor Influencing the Duration of Complete Remission and Survival in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online July, 1977
Prevention of Meningeal CNS Involvement as a Factor Influencing the Duration of Complete Remission and Survival in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
The influence on the duration of CR and survival of 2 modalities (MTX + hydrocortisone IT, with and without TCT) for the prevention of meningeal CNS involvement was assessed in 24 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Of the 9 subjects who received MTX and hydrocortisone only, 42 % were still in CR 33 months after its attainment, as opposed to 75 % of the 15 who also received TCT. Survival at 33 months after diagnosis was 89 % and 82 % in the 2 groups. The results are compared with those obtained in an earlier series of 14 children who received no prophylactic treatment. Here CR at 45 months was 25 % and survival 46 %. Eight subjects died, as opposed to 3 (1 in CR) in the present series.
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