Although much progress has been made in the treatment of acute leukemia, there is still vigorous debate over the optimal methods for securing additional gains in event-free survival and for reducing the toxic side effects of "curative" therapy. In Treatment of Acute Leukemias: New Directions for Clinical Research, international experts not only review the state-of-the-art in managing children and adults with acute leukemia, but also debate the pros and cons of current controversial and problematic issues. The book summarizes the best diagnostic and treatment practices for newly diagnosed and relapsed acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia in children, adolescents, and adults. Among the therapies considered are methotrexate, asparaginase, antipurines, epipodophyllotoxins, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, hematopoietic growth factors, and immunotherapy. Problems of central-nervous-system therapy, minimal residual disease, drug resistance, and directions of future research are also considered. Discussion of each major topic by two distinguished groups of investigators ensures broad and balanced coverage.
Comprehensive and up-to-date, Treatment of Acute Leukemias: New Directions for Clinical Research offers oncologists practical guidelines for precise diagnosis and optimal treatment of childhood and adult acute leukemia, as well as insights into those aspects of patient management most in need of further study and refinement.

Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Zusammenfassung
Pui (U. of Tennessee Health Science Center) presents 42 papers that are devoted to identifying and discussing pivotal issues that might be resolved through better applications of current methods of leukemia management, rather than waiting for laboratory discoveries to drive change. Chapters look at

Inhalt
I: Diagnosis, Classification, and Prognosis.- 1 Classification of Acute Leukemias: Perspective 1.- 2 Classification of Acute Leukemias: Perspective 2.- II: Chemotherapeutic Strategies.- 3 Biology and Treatment of Infant Leukemias: Perspective 1.- 4 Biology and Treatment of Acute Leukemias in Infants: Perspective 2.- 5 Treatment of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- 6 Treatment of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ALL Consortium Perspective.- 7 Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Adolescents and Young Adults: Lessons Learned and Future Directions.- 8 Treatment of Adolescents and Young Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Children's Cancer Group Trials.- 9 Treatment of Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspective 1.- 10 Treatment of Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspective 2.- 11 Central Nervous SystemDirected Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- 12 Diagnosis, Prophylaxis, and Treatment of Central Nervous System Involvement in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- 13 Treatment of Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspective 1.- 14 Treatment of Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspective 2.- 15 Treatment of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspective 1.- 16 Treatment of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspective 2.- 17 Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Children.- 18 Treatment of Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia.- I. Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Adults.- 19 Therapy of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Adults.- 20 Treatment of Adult Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.- J. Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia.- 21 Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: Perspective 1.- 22 Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: Perspective 2.- K. Childhood Leukemias in Underprivileged Countries.- 23 Treatment of Childhood Leukemias inUnderprivileged Countries.- 24 How to Confront the Problem of Treatment of Childhood Leukemias in Underprivileged Populations.- III: Antileukemic Drugs.- 25 Rationale for High-Dose Methotrexate in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- 26 Role of Methotrexate in the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- 27 Asparaginase.- 28 Asparaginase Treatment.- 29 Antipurines in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.- 30 Antipurines.- 31 Etoposide in Acute Leukemias: Therapeutic and Pharmacokinetic Considerations.- 32 Etoposide and Teniposide: Clinical Applications with a Focus on Leukemia.- IV: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.- 33 Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Perspective 1.- 34 Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Perspective 2.- V: Biologic Treatments.- 35 Hematopoietic Growth Factors in Patients with Acute Leukemia.- 36 Hematopoietic Growth Factor Treatment in Leukemia.- 37 Immunotherapy of Leukemia.- 38 Therapy of Acute Leukemia with Monoclonal Antibodies and Immunoconjugates.- VI: Drug Resistance.- 39 Drug Resistance in Acute Leukemias.- 40 Drug Resistance in Acute Leukemia.- VII: Minimal Residual Disease.- 41 Minimal Residual Disease.- 42 Molecular Monitoring of Minimal Residual Disease.