title: Non-aggressive therapy for chronic myeloid leukaemia in blastic transformation.
abstract: A total of 40 patients presenting with chronic myeloid leukaemia in blastic transformation were treated with a non-aggressive chemotherapy regimen consisting of vincristine, cytosine arabinoside and thioguanine. Remissions were achieved by 3/10 (30%) patients displaying lymphoid transformation (remission duration, 2, 3, and 5 months, respectively) and by 5/30 (17%) subjects exhibiting myeloid changes (duration 2+, 4, 4, 5 and 7 months, respectively). Myelosuppression was the major toxicity and non-haematological toxicities were mild and acceptable. The median survival of patients exhibiting lymphoid and myeloid blastic transformation as measured from the time of transformation was 6 and 3 months, respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant. Three subjects displaying lymphoid transformation and five showing myeloid changes survived for greater than 12 months after the time of transformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001752:Blast Crisis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D015466:Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D013866:Thioguanine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D013866:Thioguanine; D006918:Hydroxyurea; D008727:Methotrexate; D003630:Daunorubicin