The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics 2004; 46: 115-119 Original Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in infants

lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were treated on three consecutive protocols. Eighteen patients with infant ALL diagnosed between 1978-1991 were included in Group 1. In this group, treatment comprised a two-or three-drug induction with prednisolone, vincristine and L-asparaginase, and maintenance therapy consisted of weekly oral administration of mercaptopurine and methotrexate for three years. Group 2: Between 1991 and 1999, 11 infants with ALL were treated by St. Jude Total Therapy XI (n=4) and XIII (n=7) protocols with minor modification. Three years ’ event-free survival (±SE) was 14±9 % in group 1. In group 2, this rate was 25±22 % in Total XI and 57±19 % in Total XIII. Outcome for infants on protocols Total Therapy XI and XIII improved compared with that of group 1. Key words: infant leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, high-dose methylprednisolone. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in infants, which usually occurs within the first 12 months of life, is different from that seen in other ag