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Glucocorticoids (GCc) play an important role in the treatment of various diseases and their implication in clinical oncology is valuable for decades. For the ability to induce apoptosis, GCs are predominantly used in the treatment of the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) the most common malignancy in childhood. GCs were the subject of many research projects designed to characterise the chemical properties, synthesis of new analogues, to clarify the mechanisms of action on the cellular and molecular level and to analyse the mechanism of resistance to glucocorticoid therapy. Their importance in the treatment of childhood leukemia has increased during this period, so they become integral part of all treatments protocols for childhood ALL. Initially used cortisone and adrenocorticotropin hormone (corticotropin, ACTH) were replaced by other synthetic's analogues, particularly prednisone (PRED) and dexamethasone (DEXA). Properties of individual GCs determine their use in different phases of the therapy. In addition, the response to corticosteroids became an independent prognostic factor in childhood ALL. Due to the variability of the in vivo response to GC's therapy, there is a significant intention to adapt GC's therapy for individual patients to achieve the maximum beneficial effect while minimizing the side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]