title: Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia in the elderly with low-dose cytarabine, hydroxyurea, and calcitriol.
abstract: Twenty-nine patients aged 62-82 years with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were treated with a 21-day course of continuous infusion cytarabine, oral hydroxyurea, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol). Ten patients had an antecedent myelodysplastic syndrome. Calcitriol was continued as the only postremission therapy. Thirteen patients (45%) obtained a complete remission, and 10 patients (34%) had a partial response for an overall 79% response rate. There were three early deaths. The median remission duration was 9.8 months. Overall median survival was 12 months for all patients and 14 months for responding patients. All responding patients had marked bone marrow hypoplasia. Twenty patients received part or all of their chemotherapy as outpatients. This regimen has acceptable toxicity and can result in prolonged remissions in elderly, high-risk patients with AML. The favorable results may be related to the synergistic effect of hydroxyurea, cytarabine, and calcitriol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Slapak
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Desforges
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fogaren
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D002117:Calcitriol; D006918:Hydroxyurea