Abstract
Long-term survivors were studied in 150 patients with acute leukemia (11-83 years of age) who recieved initial treatment at the 2nd Tokyo National Hospital from January, 1964 to May, 1981.
Seventeen of 150 patients were cases of survival for over 2 years. Out of 17 patients, 6 were cases of survival for over 5 years and 2 patients of them for over 10 years. There were 15 non-lymphocytic leukemia (14 adult cases) and 2 lymphocytic leukemia (11 and 13 years of age at the time of diagnosis).
According to the initial hematological findings, there were no significant differences in the median erythrocyte and platelet counts between the long-term survival group and the control group, but the long-term survival group showed lower median leucocyte and absolute leukemic cell counts.
Maintenance chemotherapy consisting of cytosine arabinoside and 6-MP (or cytosine arabinoside alone) was performed in 8 adult patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia who achieved a complete remission. Three of 8 patients have been remaining in the first complete remission for over 3 years.
