title: Idarubicin combined with intermediate-dose cytosine arabinoside in the treatment of refractory acute leukemia.
abstract: From December, 1985 to October, 1987, 16 patients aged from 14 to 62 (median 34) with acute leukemia in relapse (10 affected by ANLL and 6 by ALL) were treated with the following regimen: Idarubicin 12 mg/m2/day on days 1-2-3, Ara-C 600 mg/m2 twice a day from day 1 to 6. Twelve patients (75%) achieved complete remission (C.R.). Two (12%) died during the induction phase from alveolar pneumonitis. One patient was resistant. The median duration of C.R. and survival was respectively 12 (range 6 to 100 +) and 23 weeks (4 to 108 +). The median duration of granulocytopenia was 16 days (range 10 to 24 days). The most frequent non-hematological complications consisted of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and mucositis. Four patients had hepatic and splenic microabscesses of suspected mycotic etiology, and one showed a transient cardiac arrhythmia. The C.R. rate obtained in this series may be considered satisfaying since all but 3 patients were on treatment at the time of relapse. Yet the short duration of C.R. suggests the opportunity of performing consolidation cycles or suprelethal therapy followed by bone marrow transplantation.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Di Pietro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Storti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ganzina
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D015255:Idarubicin; D003630:Daunorubicin