Treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia with all-trans retinoic acid and chemotherapy--multicenter trial of the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group (JALSG)

We report herein the clinical results of a multicenter trial of the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group for cases of newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treated with all-trans retinoic acid and chemotherapy (JALSG AML-92 study). Of 196 evaluable patients, 173 (88%) achieved complete remission (CR). Multivariate analysis showed that no or minor purpura at diagnosis and age less than 30 years were favorable factors for achievement of CR. There was a significant difference in the 4-year event-free survival between the AML-92 study (54%) and both the AML-87 (32%) and AML-89 (32%) studies which consisted of intensive chemotherapy. Since prognosis in patients with APL largely depends on chemotherapy, it is important to consider more effective chemotherapy during induction and consolidation therapy.