A randomized trial of dexamethasone before remission induction, in de novo childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract

We evaluated the impact of adding dexamethasone before chemotherapy in 95 children with de novo standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The children were randomly divided into 2 groups: one group was given dexamethasone, the other was not. The initial characteristics and mean follow-up of both groups were similar. Day +14 blast percentage was significantly lower in the dexamethasone group. Disease-free survival at 40-months follow-up was better (almost significantly so) in the dexamethasone group.