[Acute childhood leukemia: treatment results in children's cancer and leukemia group studies 1972-1981].

Controlled clinical trials of therapy for childhood acute leukemia are reviewed in the Children's Cancer & Leukemia Group Studies 1972-1981. The mortality of acute lymphocytic leukemia in children has been reduced about one-half in the past 10 years. Continued progress depends on maintaining our objective of curing all children and in conceiving and testing new ideas that might contribute to cure. Nowadays, the end result of most importance is long-term leukemia-free survival, i.e., the freedom from relapse after off therapy. Advances in the childhood leukemia have paved the way for encouraging progress in the management of the much more common malignancies that affects adults.