Meningeal localisation of acute leukaemias.

ABSTRACT

A preventive chemoradiotherapeutic treatment of the central nervous system has to be started as soon as a complete remission is obtained in acute lymphoid leukemia. Any meningeal localisation is barely sensitive to treatment and reduces the long term chances of survival. The best treatment, according to our study, consists in the intrathecal administration of methotrexate and cytosine arabinoside followed by an irradiation of the central nervous system at a dose of 1,500 rads. The present trials have attempted to reduce the number of intrathecal injections, to increase the irradiation dose to 2,400 rads, and to restrict it to the skull.