Long-term outcome of adults with acute myelogenous leukaemia: results of a prospective, randomized study of chemotherapy with a minimal follow-up of 7 years
Corresponding Author
G. Bandini
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Dr Giuseppe Bandini, Institute of Haematology ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’. S. Orsola University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.Search for more papers by this authorE. Zuffa
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorG. Rosti
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorE. Morra
Divisione di Ematologia, Istituto Scientifico, Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia
Search for more papers by this authorG. Visani
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorS. Tura
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
G. Bandini
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Dr Giuseppe Bandini, Institute of Haematology ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’. S. Orsola University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.Search for more papers by this authorE. Zuffa
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorG. Rosti
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorE. Morra
Divisione di Ematologia, Istituto Scientifico, Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia
Search for more papers by this authorG. Visani
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorS. Tura
Istituto di Ematologia ‘L. e A. Seràgnoli’, Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Summary. In a prospective study running between 1981 and 1983, a group of 156 adult (under 60 years of age) patients with de-novo acute myelogenous leukaemia were randomly assigned to receive a daunorubicin, cytosine arabinoside and thioguanine combination or a regimen containing lower dosages of these drugs but also containing etoposide and vindesine. Patients who entered complete remission received maintenance therapy for 2 years. The survival and remission duration curves of the two groups were exactly superimposable and for this long-term analysis all patients have been considered together. The follow-up times range between 84 and 104 months. Actual survival at 7 years is 15% (95% confidence intervals 9–20%), with a stable curve thereafter. Actual probability of continuous complete remission at 7 years is 22% (95% C.I. 13–31%), with a stable curve beyond that point. These findings, similar to those of the few other studies of chemotherapy with comparable follow-up times, suggest that only a small fraction of adult patients become long-term survivors, irrespective of the precise type or amount of antineoplastic agents administered.
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