[Therapeutic results of DCMP therapy (2M-80) in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia--the relationship between the residual leukemic cells and duration of remission].

In this study the duration of complete remission by daunomycin, cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C), 6MP and prednisolone (DCMP) therapy using a large dose of Ara-C (200 mg) (protocol 2M-80) was compared with that of DCMP therapy with a low dose of Ara-C (80-160 mg) in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). In protocol 2M-80, the chemotherapy was continued until leukemic blasts in marrow were attained below 3%. Complete remission was induced in about 80% of ANLL patients in both chemotherapies. However, the duration of remission in protocol 2M-80 appeared to be much longer than that of DCMP therapy with a low, dose of Ara-C. This difference was dependent not on the consolidation and maintenance therapy, but on the total dose of Ara-C used and leukemic blasts left in marrow at the end of chemotherapy. This suggests that it is important to reduce leukemic blasts in marrow as low as possible by induction chemotherapy to obtain a long-term remission in ANLL.