Findings in acute lymphocytic leukemia prognosis reported from University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
December 22nd, 2008
2008 DEC 22 -- A report, 'Outcome of adults with acute lymphocytic leukemia after second salvage therapy,' is newly published data in Cancer. According to a study from the United States, "The outcome of adults with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) who undergo second salvage therapy has been characterized poorly. This is important with regard to investigational approaches aimed at helping this subset of patients."
"The objectives of the current study were to predict outcomes and determine the prognostic factors associated with second salvage therapy in patients with ALL. In this study, 288 patients were analyzed who received second salvage therapy for ALL at the authors' institution. Overall, 53 patients (18%) achieved a complete response (CR). The median remission duration was 7 months and the median survival was 3 months. In multivariate analysis, prognostic factors that were associated independently with achieving CR were duration of first CR and platelet count. Patients with a first CR <36 months and platelet counts <50 x 10(9)/L had an expected CR rate of 7%. In multivariate analysis, prognostic factors that were associated independently with survival were duration of first CR, percentage bone marrow blasts, platelet count, and albumin level. The expected 12-month survival rates for patients with 0 or 1, 2, 3, or 4 adverse factors were 33%, 14%, 8%, and 0%, respectively. A repeat multivariate analysis using landmark assessment at 6 weeks selected achievement of CR as adding significantly to the survival benefit (p=.0001; hazard ratio, 0.51). Only 22 patients (8%) were able to undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation as second salvage therapy, and their 1-year survival rate was 18%. The outcome of adults with ALL undergoing second salvage therapy is poor," wrote S. O'Brien and colleagues, University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The researchers concluded: "Novel effective therapies against ALL are needed in this subset of patients."
O'Brien and colleagues published the results of their research in Cancer (Outcome of adults with acute lymphocytic leukemia after second salvage therapy. Cancer, 2008;113(11):3186-91).
For additional information, contact S. O'Brien, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Dept. of Leukemia, Houston, Texas 77030 USA..
The publisher of the journal Cancer can be contacted at: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.
