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