German Multicenter Trial for Treatment of Elderly Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pro B, pre B, c-ALL or T-ALL), proved by morphology and immunophenotyping
* Age \> 55 yrs (no upper age limit)
* Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe leukemia associated complications, not controllable before therapy onset e.g.
* life threatening infections as sepsis, pneumonia, hypoxia, shock, life threatening bleeding)
* Severe comorbidity e.g.
* decompensated renal failure if not caused by leukemia with Creatinine \> 2x ULN
* heart failure (NYHA II/IV), instable Angina, significant coronary stenosis
* hepatic insufficiency e.g. liver cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis with bilirubin \> 1,5 x ULN and/or ASA, ALA, AP \> 2,5 ULN
* decompensated metabolic disturbances (e.g. not controllable diabetes)
* severe obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease with hypoxaemia
* Severe psychiatric illness or other circumstances which may compromise cooperation of the patient
* Active second neoplasia
* HIV infection
* Severely reduced general condition
* Cytostatic pre-treatment of ALL
* Chemotherapy treatment of any other malignancy during the last 5 years
* Participation in other clinical trials interfering with the study therapy