Combination Chemotherapy of Chronic

Thirteen patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia who had entered an accelerating phase ("blast crisis") of their illness were treated with a combination of agents known to be effective in both acute granulocytic and acute lymphocytic leukemia, (prednisone, mercaptopurine, and methotrexate; vincristine sulfate was added in five instances). Only one complete clinical remission was seen. One marrow remission in the face of increasing adenopathy was seen; there were two partial remissions. The toxicity was severe and included four drug-related deaths.