[Acute leukemia. Case material and therapeutic results]

Abstract

In the five years period 1969-1973, 22 cases of acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and 75 of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) were observed in adults. In ALL, complete remission was obtained in 61% of cases. The median duration of remission worked out to be 3 months in the group of patients who died and more than 6 months in the patients still alive. The mean survival time was 7,8 and more than 10,6 months respectively. The various regimens of treatment used in the phase of induction appeared to be equally effective, whilst cyclic chemotherapy was found to be preferable in maintaining remission. As far as AML is concerned, complete remission was achieved in 25% of the patients with stem cells leukaemia, 50% in myeloblastic leukaemia and 33% in mielyomoocytic leulaemia. The median duration of remission was 3,5 and 9 months respectively. No case of promyelocytic leukaemia and erythroleukaemia achieved complete remission. The mean survival time was 3,4 months in stem cells leukaemia, 6 months in myeloblastic leukaemia, 6,6 months in myelomonocytic leukaemia, 0,4 months in promyelocytic leukaemia and 2,5 months in erythroleukaemia. In stem cells leukaemia, the highest frequency of remission was found in patients aged 13 to 20 years, whilst in myeloblastic and myelomonocytic leukaemia the most favourable results were obtained in patients aged 50 to 70 and 20 to 50 respectively. The longest mediam duration of remission and the best survival time was obtained in myelomonocytic leukaemia. The best rate of remission was achieved in the patients whose initial leukocyte count ranged from 10.000 to 50.000/mm-3. No patient with an initial WBC count above 50.000/mm-3 entered complete remission. The frequency of complete remission worked out to be much higher in the patients treated with cyclic chemotherapy according to the Hammersmith protocol, except in the case of stem cells leukaemia.