Differentiating agents in the treatment of leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.
Differentiation therapies try to change the malignant cell in order to acquire a more mature or normal phenotype. Various ways were tested in leukemia: suppression the proliferative pressure by low dose Ara-C, enhancement of the differentiation by retinoic acid derivatives or by differentiation factors, and modulation of the cell metabolism interrupting an autocrine loop (a growth factor and its receptor). The treatment is given continuously at small doses, during a long period of time. In all these cases it seems necessary to tailor the differentiation therapy to each category of leukemia.
Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France.
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D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / 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* / Q000473:pathology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007370:Interferon Type I; D003561:Cytarabine; D014212:Tretinoin