Repetitive low dose oral methotrexate and intravenous mercaptopurine treatment for patients with lower risk B—lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A pediatric oncology group pilot study

Abstract

Low dose methotrexate/mercaptopurine can be administered safely on an outpatient basis to children with lower risk B-lineage ALL. However, there was a higher than expected incidence of bone marrow and CNS relapse. The reasons for this outcome were not completely clear but raise the possibility that LD methotrexate therapy may be less effective in preventing relapse than are higher dose, parenteral methotrexate regimens.