[Treatment of acute myeloblastic leukemia in elderly patients with low-dose cytosine arabinoside].
Forty-eight patients, aged from 65 to 88 years, presenting with de novo acute myelogenous leukemia were treated with a low-dose cytarabine regimen (10 mg/sq.m subcutaneously 12-hourly for 15 to 28 days). Twenty-four complete remissions and 7 partial remissions were obtained. The complete remission rate correlated with low initial bone marrow cellularity (p less than 0.05). Bleeding occurred in 28 patients and fever was noted, also in 28 patients. Four patients died of infection during induction treatment. Fourteen patients were treated as out-patients, but regular medical supervision was necessary. The median duration of complete remission was 8 months. The median survival for all patients was 15 months. It is concluded that low-dose cytarabine is an alternative to intensive chemotherapy in elderly patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.
Tilly
H
H
Castaigne
S
S
Sigaux
F
F
Degos
L
L
D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003561:Cytarabine
Traitement des leucémies aiguës myéloblastiques du sujet âgé par la cytosine-arabinoside à faible dose.