Abstract

ABSTRACT: &NA; Survival and response to chemotherapy were evaluated in 84 adults with acute granulocytic leukemia (AGL) and 22 with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Twenty‐two of the 84 patients with AGL received no chemotherapy (untreated group). The median survival for patients with AGL who achieved a complete remission (CR) was 17.1 months, compared to 6.5 months for those who achieved partial remission (PR) (p < 0.05), 2.8 months for those who failed chemotherapy (p < 0.01), and 2.1 months for the untreated group (p < 0.01). The median survival for patients with ALL who achieved a CR was 18.2 months, compared to 7.3 months for those who achieved a PR and 7.0 months for those who failed chemotherapy. Of patients with AGL who received an adequate trial of chemotherapy, 43% achieved a CR and 16% a PR; 75% of patients with ALL achieved a CR and 13% a PR. Improved survival depends on the induction of a complete or partial remission with the use of aggressive chemotherapy.