Subcutaneous low dose arabinosyl‐cytosine and oral idarubicin in high risk adult acute myelogenous leukemia

摘要

AbstractIn order to further explore low dose chemotherapy for high risk acute myelogeneous leukemia (AML), low dose Ara‐C and oral idarubicin (LAI) were given to 33 patients of 24–84 (median 66) years with AML after myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (12 patients), refractory AML (13 patients), and AML with contraindications to intensive chemotherapy (8 patients). Patients received 1 to 4 cycles of Ara‐C 10 mg/m2q 12 h s.c. inject. on days 1–14 and idarubicin 20 mg/m2/d orally days 3, 4, 5. Three patients attained complete remission, four patients partial remission and one patient minor response, whereas 11 patients succumbed to early mortality from hemorrhage (two patients) and/or infections (10 patients). Three of 13 patients with heavily pretreated refractory AML went into remission compared to 3/12 with AML after MDS and 1/8 with AML and contraindications against intensive treatment. Median duration of CR is 102 (70–488+) days. Thirty‐two of 33 patients developed grade 4 hematological toxicity requiring platelet transfusions. The non‐hematologic toxicity was acceptable. LAI provides a standardized therapeutic option especially for heavily pretreated pati