Although progress in the treatment of adult acute leukaemia has been much less dramatic than that which has occurred in the management of children with ALL, it should be clear from this progress report that significant strides have recently been made in the treatment of both adult ANLL and ALL that are of real benefit to the individual patient. This improvement is equally the result of improved supportive care and antileukaemia treatment. The progress has been of sufficient magnitude to clearly justify the optimism expressed in several recent reviews of leukaemia treatment (Freireich et al, 1976; Holland et al, 1976; Wiernik, 1976).