COMPARATIVE STUDY OF 6-CHLOROPURINE AND 6-MERCAPTOPURINE IN ACUTE LEUKEMIA IN ADULTS

Abstract

The drugs were studied concurrently, using predetermined parameters to group patients, randomized pairs to assign the drug within these groups, predetermined methods of treatment, and standardized criteria to evaluate response. Thus it was possible to obtain, in a reasonable interval of time, comparable data from 2 separate cooperating institutions. Five of 18 patients who received 6-mercaptopurine had complete or partial hematologic remissions, as did 3 of the 16 persons receiving 6-chloropurine. The median survival time measured from onset of symptoms was prolonged in those individuals who had hematologic remissions induced by either agent, but was unaffected in the remainder of the patients treated. The data suggest that the clinical response to the 2 agents is very similar.