Prolonged maintained remissions of adult acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia.
Maintenance chemotherapy consisting of weekly oral 6-thioguanine and intramuscular cytosine arabinoside was administered to 24 adult patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia in complete remission. The median duration of complete remission was 16-5 months, with 9 patients (38%) still in their first remission after 18--56 months. 33% of the patients have been in continuous remission for over 2 yr, 21% for over 3 yr, and 12-5% for over 4 yr. Median survival so far is 22-5 months. This maintenance regimen is well tolerated, is easily administered on an outpatient basis, and produces substantial numbers of long-term remissions.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007948:Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013866:Thioguanine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D003561:Cytarabine; D013866:Thioguanine