534 International register of current protocols in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (A.L.L.)

Many clinical trial groups around the world are performing randomised studies to advance the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Clinicians who wish to find out about the protocols in use may have difficulty, as they have to examine many different reference sources and will miss relevant trials. The treatment regimens are often very complex and even when different trials address the same therapeutic questions, each may have a different approach to administering the therapy under study or may have radically different forms of background therapy. In December 1992, representatives from most of the research groups who conduct randomised trials into the treatment of childhood A.L.L. met and recognised that a regularly updated register of current randomised protocols would be of value in identifying the work of each trial group and allowing comparison between their therapeutic strategies. The first edition of this register is now ready and provides a reliable and readily accessible collection of all identified randomised trials in current use for childhood A.L.L. Each protocol is summarised in a simple clear manner, which emphasizes the randomised comparisons under study. Summary tables show which trials are addressing specific questions and allow easy comparison between both their experimental regimens and their background therapies. The register will be updated regularly and the second edition will be available in Autumn 1995.