Antileukemic impact of glucocorticoid use in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treatment

Abstract

Glucocorticoids (GC) are used as anti-inflammatory, immunosupressive and anti-tumor agents for several decades due to their ability to cell cycle inhibition and apoptosis induction but mechanism of action is not fully explored. Glucocorticoids play one of the key roles in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treatment and are at the forefront in induction and reinduction phases. The response of tumor clone to GC determines a risk group and prognosis. A number of mechanisms of antileukemic action and resistance factors will be describe in this article.