Improved treatment results in childhood acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia with the BFM-AML protocol 78 in a multicenter study in the GDR.

Eighty-seven children with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia were treated with the AML protocol BFM 78 between June 1979 and February 1986 in a multicenter study in the GDR. Seventeen children (20%) died from early complications, eight did not respond to therapy. Fifty-eight patients (70%) achieved a complete remission. Twenty-three patients relapsed. The life table analysis revealed after 5 years a probability for event-free survival of 36% (SD = 6%) and an event-free interval of 51% (SD = 8%). Six patients were transplanted in first remission. Two of them died; one (M 1) on day + 19 from encephalopathy and one (M 4) on day + 60 from acute GVHD. The overall results are in good correlation with the original BFM study, but there are differences in the subtypes. Results are superior to other AML protocols in our group.