Low numbers of CSF blasts at diagnosis do not predict for the development of CNS leukemia in children with intermediate-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Childrens Cancer Group report.

Abstract

In intermediate-risk ALL, there was no significant difference in CNSR and systemic relapse rates after standard presymptomatic CNS therapy between patients with a CSF WBC count < or = 5/microL and those without identifiable blasts in the CSF. These findings suggest that certain approaches to therapy, such as that used in this study, may eliminate the need for any additional special treatment directed at this subset of patients with CSF blasts.