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Prevention and Treatment of Central Nervous System Leukaemia in Childhood

  • Chapter
CNS Complications of Malignant Disease

Abstract

Within a few years of the introduction of effective systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of childhood acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL), central nervous system (CNS) leukaemia emerged as a significant problem (Sansone, 1954; Sullivan, 1957; Gilbert and Rice, 1957; Zuelzer and Flatz, 1960; Evans, 1964). The importance of extramedullary involvement increased directly with success in achieving and prolonging haematological remissions. Although any organ or tissue may be infiltrated at diagnosis or later in the course of the disease, it is involvement that occurs after initial remission induction and during bone marrow remission that is of greatest importance therapeutically and prognostically. Residual leukaemic foci have been demonstrated in bone marrow and extramedullary sites by autopsy in patients expiring in clinical remission (Nies et al., 1965; Simone et al., 1972) and by extensive tissue examination in patients who have attained complete remission (Mathé et al., 1966; Sharp et al., 1967). A number of methods have been tried to eliminate or reduce extramedullary relapses. Some of these approaches have been directed at a specific site of potential involvement (George and Pinkel, 1965; Frei et al., 1965; Pinkel, 1971; Nesbit et al., 1977), while others were directed at several sites (Mathé et al., 1966; Sharp et al., 1967; Freeman and Sinks, 1977; Haghbin et al., 1974, 1975).

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Authors
  1. Joseph V. Simone
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  2. H. Omar Hustu
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  3. Rhomes J. A. Aur
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Southampton General Hospital, UK

    J. M. A. Whitehouse (Director of the CRC Medical Oncology Unit) (Director of the CRC Medical Oncology Unit)

  2. Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK

    H. E. M. Kay (Consultant Haematologist) (Consultant Haematologist)

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© 1979 Joseph V. Simone, H. Omar Hustu and Rhomes J. A. Aur

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Simone, J.V., Hustu, H.O., Aur, R.J.A. (1979). Prevention and Treatment of Central Nervous System Leukaemia in Childhood. In: Whitehouse, J.M.A., Kay, H.E.M. (eds) CNS Complications of Malignant Disease. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-04285-2_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-04285-2_2

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-349-04287-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-349-04285-2

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