OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), compare the efficacy of different induction regimens and analyze the prognostic factors.

METHODSData of 149 adult ALL patients hospitalized in our institute between June 1998 and December 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. The results were analyzed with the SPSS11.5 software.

RESULTS1) Out of 133 patients available immunophenotype data, 118 (88.7%) were B-ALL and 15 (11.3%) T-ALL. Cytogenetic analysis was performed in 105 patients, 40 cases (38.1%) of them had a normal karyotype and 65 (61.9%) chromosome aberrations. 2) 149 patients completed the VDCP, VDLP or VDCLP induction therapies (at least 4 weeks treatment for each), 140 (93.7%) of them achieved complete remission (CR) with the first course CR rates of 80.8%, 92.3% and 81.4% , respectively (P=0.618). CR rates in patients after the induction regimens with or without asparaginase were 95.5% versus 92.1% (P=0.566). With a median follow-up of 14.5 (1-75) months, the median disease free survival (DFS) was 12 (1-74) months and median overall survival (OS) 17.5 (1-97) months. DFS of the three regimen groups at 3 and 5 years were 18.5% and 14.8%, 24.7% and 9.9%, 39.5% and 39.5%, respectively (P=0.0066). 3) COX regression analysis showed that the age (over 40 years), white blood cell (WBC) count ( > 40 x 10(9)/L) , t(9;22) (q34;q11)-positive and less than 4 courses consolidation chemotherapy were the unfavorable prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONSMost adult ALL patients are B-ALL and karyotype have more changed. More than 90% patients can achieve CR with induction regimens consisting of 4 or 5 drugs. Induction regimens containing L-asparaginase may not affect the CR rate, but can improve DFS and OS. Age and WBC at diagnosis, presence of t(9;22) (q34;q11) and the courses of post-remission treatment are important prognostic factors.