[Fludarabine in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other lymphoproliferative disorders].

Fludarabine, an analogue of arabinosyl adenine, used since 1986 proved to be a new agent effective particularly in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. About 35% of patients refractory to previous cytostatic treatment and about 75% of untreated patients obtained complete remissions. Nearly 90% of them revealed no minimal residual disease and no relapse during 2 years of observation. Worse response was found in patients with other low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.