title: Etoposide, 6-thioguanine and idarubicin, an oral combination regimen (ETI) for the induction treatment of acute leukemia.
abstract: Twenty patients with advanced acute leukemia (16 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), three myeloid blast crisis (BC) of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), one acute lymphatic leukemia) were treated with a peroral regimen consisting of etoposide 80 mg/m2 and 6-thioguanine 100 mg/m2 twice daily for 5 days, and idarubicin 15 mg/m2 once daily for 3 days (ETI). Two AML patients were in first relapse. All the other patients with acute leukemia had a later relapse or were refractory to primary or salvage treatment. One to six ETI cycles were given. Four AML patients achieved remission and one patient with BC of CML entered the second chronic phase. Clearing of the blood of leukemic cells was seen in seven additional patients. Infection was the most common complication, gastrointestinal toxicity was not a major problem. In conclusion, peroral ETI treatment has a marked antileukemic effect even in an advanced disease, and the toxicity is moderate and well acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruutu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elonen
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001752:Blast Crisis; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013866:Thioguanine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D013866:Thioguanine; D015255:Idarubicin