Acute myelogenous leukaemia: maintenance chemotherapy after early consolidation treatment does not prolong survival

Lancet. 1984 Feb 18;1(8373):379-82. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)90424-0.

Abstract

To investigate the value of maintenance chemotherapy after early consolidation treatment, an attempt was made to induce remission in 162 previously untreated patients, age-range 7-65 years (median 43). The 74 patients who were still in remission after early consolidation treatment (given for 3-5 months) were assigned to either maintenance chemotherapy every 8 weeks for 2 years or to observation only. After a median observation period of 44 months there was no difference between the groups in duration of remission or survival. Surprisingly, patients above 40 survived longer after early consolidation (median 4 years) than did patients aged 40 and below (median 1.6 years, p = 0.0002).

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Agranulocytosis / chemically induced
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bone Marrow / drug effects
  • Child
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / mortality
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prednisone / administration & dosage
  • Prognosis
  • Random Allocation
  • Thioguanine / administration & dosage
  • Thrombocytopenia / chemically induced
  • Vincristine / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Cytarabine
  • Vincristine
  • Thioguanine
  • Prednisone