OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics and curative effect in 61 adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

METHODSThe clinical data of 61 patients (≥15 years old) with ALL enrolled from January 2010 to December 2014 were studied retrospectively. The relationship between clinical characteristics and curative effect was analyzed. The univariate and multivariate analyses related with the overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) were conducted by using the method of COX regression analysis.

RESULTSForty-four patients obtained complete remission (CR) in all 61 cases. The total CR rate was 72.13%. Age of onset, WBC count at first visit, CNS involvement or not, status of myeloid antigen expression and Ph chromosome condition were the important factors affecting the CR rate (P<0.05). The 2 years OS rate of all the 61 cases was 28.13%, the median OS time was 11 months (95% CI 9.58-12.42). The 2 years OS rate and DFS rate of the 44 patients in CR were 39.57% and 34.29% respectively. As showed by univariate analysis, the age of onset, WBC count at first visit, whether achieved CR or not after induction chemotherapy, and whether accepted consolidation therapy or allo-HSCT therapy after CR were factors affecting the prognosis of adult ALL patients. The result of multivariate analysis showed that the older age (P=0.001), induction chemotherapy did not achieve CR (P=0.018) and patients did not received consolidation after CR(P=0.005) , all these were independent risk factors for DFS.

CONCLUSIONThe CR rate after induction chemotherapy is high in adult ALL patients, but the OS rate is low. To achieve CR and to maintain consolidation treatment after CR may be helpful to improve the long-term survival.