Abstract
Treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been developed, independently, by both pediatric and adult study groups. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) represent a minority of patients enrolled in either pediatric or adult clinical studies and have not been the focus of trials. However, it has become evident that intensified pediatric chemotherapy regimens might be associated with better outcomes for not only AYA but also adult patients. During the last decade, the survival of AYA ALL patients has been greatly improved with the use of pediatric or pediatric-inspired protocols. The 5-year overall survival rate is now expected to exceed 70% when AYA ALL is treated employing pediatric-type protocols. In this new context, the risk factors and the application of stem cell transplantation need to be reassessed.
