The thiopurine methyltransferase genetic polymorphism is associated with thioguanine-related veno-occlusive disease of the liver in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Objective: Thiopurine metabolism was investigated in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated in the United Kingdom Medical Research Council trial ALL97. This trial compared the efficacy and toxicity of thioguanine (INN, thioguanine) versus mercaptopurine.

Methods: Consecutive children were randomized to receive thioguanine or mercaptopurine during maintenance chemotherapy.

Early response to induction is predictive of survival in childhood Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: results of the Medical Research Council ALL 97 trial.

We report on the outcome of children with Philadelphia positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (Ph+ ALL) treated on the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) trial for childhood ALL, MRC ALL 97, between January 1997 and June 2002. Forty-two (2.3%) patients were Ph+.

Intraocular relapse of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Relapse of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) involving the eye is a rare but challenging problem. Twenty cases occurred in patients treated on the Medical Research Council United Kingdom Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia XI and ALL97 trials between 1991 and 2001, representing 2.2% of ALL relapses.