title: Low-dose cytarabine for acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes: in vivo and in vitro cytotoxicity.
abstract: 14 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and 7 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) were treated with cytarabine in low dosage. In AML a complete remission rate of 43% was found and in all patients profound cytopenia was noticed without any sign of maturation induction. In MDS no effect of low-dose cytarabine could be detected. We also studied the effect of low-dose cytarabine in vitro in freshly isolated leukaemic cells of 10 patients with AML. Maturation induction was measured by a comprehensive panel of quantitative and qualitative markers of maturation. No differentiation inducing effect of low-dose cytarabine could be found. We conclude on the basis of our own results and after reviewing the literature that low-dose cytarabine exerts its effect by cytotoxicity instead of maturation induction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ossenkoppele
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Wijermans
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nauta
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Huijgens
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Langenhuijsen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine