[Clinical management of acute lymphocytic leukemia in adults. 1. Treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia with VP (vincristine, prednisolone)--DVMP (daunorubicin, vincristine 6-mercaptopurine, prednisolone) regimen].

Eighteen patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) were treated with VP (vincristine, prednisolone) followed by DVMP (daunorubicin + vincristine + 6-mercaptopurine + prednisolone) regimen (VP-DVMP regimen). Patients were all previously untreated. Complete remission (CR) was obtained in 11 of 18 patients (61.1%,) by VP alone and 4 patients, by VP-DVMP. The time required for CR varied from 14 to 60 days with a median of 28 days. The duration of CR and survivals in responders were from 1.2 to 42.3 + months with a median of 24.0 months. The hematological toxicities in VP-DVMP regimen were lower than those in NVP (neocarzinostatin + vincristine + prednisolone) and NVMP (neocarzinostatin + vincristine + 6-mercaptopurine + prednisolone) regimens.