Long-term results of the pediatric oncology group studies for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia 1984–2001: a report from the children's oncology group (original) (raw)

Long-term results of the children's cancer group studies for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia 1983–2002: A Children's Oncology Group Report

Leukemia, 2010

The Children's Cancer Group enrolled 13,298 young people age < 21 years on one of 16 protocols between 1983 and 2002. Outcomes were examined in three time periods, 1983-1988, 1989-1995, 1996-2002. Over the three intervals, 10-year event-free survival (EFS) for Rome/NCI standard risk and higher risk B-precursor patients was 68% and 58%, 77% and 63%, and 78% and 67%, respectively; while for standard risk and higher risk T-cell patients, EFS was 65% and 56%, 78% and 68%, and 70% and 72%, respectively. Five-year EFS for infants was 36%, 38%, and 43%, respectively. Seminal randomized studies led to a number of important findings. Stronger post induction intensification improved outcome for both standard and higher risk patients. With improved systemic therapy, additional IT methotrexate effectively replaced cranial radiation. For standard risk patients receiving three-drug induction, iso-toxic substitution of dexamethasone for prednisone improved EFS. Pegylated asparaginase safely and effectively replaced native asparaginase. Thus, rational therapy modifications yielded better outcomes for both standard and higher risk patients. These trials provide the platforms for current Children's Oncology Group trials.

Outcome in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and adolescents using contemporary protocols of chemotherapy – experience of a single Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Center

Romanian Journal of Medical Practice, 2015

The authors studied the outcome of a cohort of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients (33 children and adolescence) diagnosed and treated conforming to modern Chemotherapy Protocols (ALL ICBFM 2002, Interfant 06) in a single Center – Pediatric Clinic, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania. They analyzed the factors which determine the prognosis and the outcome of these patients in the course of multi-agent systemic chemotherapy to stand at the base of these Protocols: initial age, initial leukocyte count, blasts immunophenotype, cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities, initial response to cortisone, risk groups, time to obtain the complet remission, etc. Among the factors they discussed, a great value was proven to have the minimal residual disease (MRD) determination in certain check points of Protocols and revaluation of patients risk conforming to MRD values. Using the modern Protocols and continuously watching the evolution on therapy enable the authors t...

Benefits of the Intermittent Use of 6-Mercaptopurine and Methotrexate in Maintenance Treatment for Low-Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children: Randomized Trial From the Brazilian Childhood Cooperative Group—Protocol ALL-99

Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2010

Purpose To describe event-free survival (EFS) and toxicities in children with low-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) assigned to receive either continuous 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and weekly methotrexate (MTX) or intermittent 6-MP with intermediate-dose MTX, as maintenance treatment. Patients and Methods Between October 1, 2000, and December 31, 2007, 635 patients with low-risk ALL were enrolled onto Brazilian Childhood Cooperative Group for ALL Treatment (GBTLI) ALL-99 protocol. Eligible children (n = 544) were randomly allocated to receive either continuous 6-MP/MTX (group 1, n = 272) or intermittent 6-MP (100 mg/m2/d for 10 days, with 11 days resting) and MTX (200 mg/m2 every 3 weeks; group 2, n = 272). Results The 5-year overall survival (OS) and EFS were 92.5% ± 1.5% SE and 83.6% ± 2.1% SE, respectively. According to maintenance regimen, the OS was 91.4% ± 2.2% SE (group 1) and 93.6% ± 2.1% SE (group 2; P = .28) and EFS 80.9% ± 3.2% SE (group 1) and 86.5% ± 2.8% SE (group 2...

Children’s Cancer Group trials in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: 1983–1995

Leukemia, 2000

Since 1968, the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) has treated more than 16 000 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Herein, we report improvements obtained in CCG trials during two successive series of studies (1983-1988 and 1989-1995). Overall, 10-year EFS was 62% ± 10% for the 1983-1988 series and 72% ± 1% for the 1988-1995 series (P Ͻ 0.0001). Five-year cumulative rates of isolated CNS relapses were 5.9% and 4.4%. Therapy based on the Berlin-Frankfurt-Mü nster 76/79 study improved outcomes for intermediate and higher risk patients in the first series. For intermediate risk patients, delayed intensification (DI) was most crucial for improved outcome and cranial irradiation was safely replaced with maintenance intrathecal methotrexate, providing patients received intensified systemic therapy. In the second series, randomized trials showed better outcome with one vs no DI phase for lower risk patients, with two vs one DI phase for intermediate risk patients, and with the CCG 'augmented regimen' for higher risk patients with a slow day 7 marrow response. Cranial irradiation was safely replaced with additional intrathecal methotrexate for higher risk patients with a rapid day 7 marrow response. In a subsequent study, substitution of dexamethasone in place of prednisone in induction and maintenance improved outcome for standard risk patients. All patients received dexamethasone in DI. These successful treatment strategies form the basis for our current ALL trials.

Treatment of children with early pre-B and pre-B acute lymphocytic leukemia with antimetabolite-based intensification regimens: a Pediatric Oncology Group Study

Leukemia, 2000

old, with standard or poor prognosis B-lineage acute lymphocytic leukemia were treated on the Pediatric Oncology Group Study 8602. One thousand three hundred and twenty-three patients entered remission and 1051 patients were randomized on day 43 to an intensification regimen containing L-asparaginase and intermediate-dose methotrexate (regimen B) or cytarabine and intermediate dose methotrexate (regimen C). After completion of intensification at week 25, all patients received the same maintenance therapy until 3 years from diagnosis. Overall 5-year continuous complete remission (CCR) for regimen B was 72 ± 2% (s.e.) and for regimen C, 73 ± 2% (P = 0.72 by log-rank analysis). Significant differences between treatments for CCR, testicular, CNS relapses overall or with regard to phenotype (pre-B vs early pre-B), gender, or race were not detected. During intensification, regimen C had significantly more bacterial infections (P = 0.05) and days spent in the hospital (P , 0.001) compared with regimen B, while regimen B had significantly more allergic reactions (P , 0.0001). No significant differences in CCR were noted between patients with pre-B and early pre-B ALL (P = 0.22 stratified by risk group and treatment). This study was unable to detect statistical difference between asparaginase (regimen B) and cytarabine (regimen C) during the intensification phase of therapy in children with B-lineage acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Systemic effect of intrathecal methotrexate during the initial phase of treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Children's Leukemia Cooperative Group

Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 1997

The in vivo response to prephase corticosteroid therapy for 1 week has been described as a major prognostic factor in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Patients with less than 1,000 blasts/microL at day 8 are considered responders and have a better prognosis. This prephase therapy is usually considered as an evaluation of glucocorticoid sensitivity. In fact, it also includes one intrathecal (IT) injection of methotrexate (MTX). In this study, we try to clarify the influence of this injection of IT MTX on the response to the prephase therapy. This retrospective study analyzed the response to prephase therapy in 1,044 children with ALL entered onto the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) trial 58881 of the Children's Leukemia Cooperative Group (CLCG). Analysis was restricted to 732 cases with an initial blast count greater than 1,000/microL. The following variables were tested to analyze response to prephase therapy: age, sex, evaluated r...