Multiple therapeutic agents are available for induction therapy, either alone or in combinations.

Until results become available, outside the context of a clinical trial, clinicians may choose induction therapy based on the following guidelines:

Patients will initially receive high-dose methotrexate followed by standard induction therapy.

Ninety percent of patients in this study achieved remission after induction therapy.

Prophylaxis with intrathecal chemotherapy is required as part of induction therapy.

Three patients died of febrile neutropenia and sepsis during induction therapy.

It is also used as induction therapy in highly sensitized patients going for kidney transplantation.

A controlled trial of valganciclovir as induction therapy for cytomegalovirus retinitis.

One study suggested that the addition of etoposide during induction therapy may improve response duration.

The intensity of induction therapy influences the overall outcome of therapy.