Differentiating agents in the treatment of leukemia.
The aim of differentiation therapy is to induce a maturation of the leukemic clone. Various approaches have been used: suppression of proliferation by low dose Ara-C in acute myeloid leukemia (AML); enhancement of differentiation by retinoic acid derivatives in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) or by differentiation-inducing factors; modulation of cell metabolism by breaking an autocrine loop in hairy cell leukemia (HCL). In all cases the treatment is given continuously at small doses over a long period of time. The very significant clinical results which have been obtained mainly in APL with all-trans retinoic acid and in HCL with alpha-interferon are briefly discussed.
Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France.
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D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000628:therapy; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007370:Interferon Type I; D003561:Cytarabine; D014212:Tretinoin