Abstract
Vindesine, a new member of the family of vinca alcaloids, was applied to the reinduction therapy for relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Fifteen children with ALL who had relapsed 2 to 5 times were treated with Vindesine, L-asparaginase and prednisolone (VDS-VLP therapy). The therapy schedule in this study consisted of: Vindesine 2mg/M2/week intravenously (IV): L-asparaginase 600 IU/M2 IV on days 8∼22: prednisolone 50mg/M2/day orally in 3 divided dose.
Complete remission occurred in 46.7% (7/15), and partial remission in 33.3% (5/15). In children with non T, non B-ALL, the complete remission rate was 55.6% (5/9). In children with T-ALL, the same rate was 40.0% (2/5).
Side effects of VDS-VLP therapy were mainly granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia, but they were relatively mild.
The Charactaristics and advantages of VDS-VLP therapy were as follows:
1) VDS-VLP therapy was most effective in non T, non B-ALL.
2) VDS-VLP therapy was also effective in relapsed T-ALL.
3) Complete remission could be obtained in some children who had resistance to Vincristine.
4) Low dose L-asparaginase could avoid hypofibrinogenemia or disturbance of pancreatic function.
These results indicate that VDS-VLP therapy is effective in children with relapsed ALL.
