ALL patients aged 55 years or older were treated with steroids during one week and Ph+ve cases were then offered a specific therapy including an induction treatment with steroids, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin and vincristine, followed, irrespective of response to induction chemotherapy, by imatinib, 600 mg daily, combined with intermittent steroids during 2 months. Patients in complete response (CR) were then given 10 blocks of alternating chemotherapy, including 2 additional two-month blocks of imatinib, for a total treatment duration of 2 years. Therapy of occult central nervous system leukemia included 5 intrathecal injections of methotrexate and cranial irradiation.