intensification (consolidation) phase

Last reviewed 01/2018

After restoring normal haematopoiesis, intensification therapy is used to reduce the risk of a relapse by removing the drug-resistant residual leukaemic cells (1).

There is little consensus regarding the best regimens and duration of treatment.

  • the following strategies are used frequently in childhood ALL:
    • high-dose methotrexate plus mercaptopurine,
    • reinduction treatment - use of the same drugs which was given initially
    • high-dose asparaginase for an extended period (2)
  • for adults, a standard intensification regimen is absent but post remission therapy with cytarabine, cyclophosphamide, anthracyclines and methotrexate have been shown to be effective according to several non randomised trials

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