title: [High-dose cytarabine treatment in acute leukemias and leukemic meningiosis: clinical aspects and pharmacokinetics].
abstract: Clinical reports concerning the therapeutic effects of high dose Cytosine arabinoside (HD Ara-C) in meningeal leukemia are relatively rare. Pharmacokinetic studies, however, have indicated potentially effective concentrations of Ara-C in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during and after high-dose infusions of the drug given intravenously. In this report, the treatment results of HD Ara-C in 14 patients with refractory or relapsed acute leukemia are presented including those of 2 patients with meningeal leukemia. In these 2 patients as well as in 1 patient without central nervous system (CNS) leukemia, Ara-C and Ara-U concentrations in CSF and plasma were measured during a 6-day therapy with HD Ara-C (3 g/m2 q 12h 12 X). Ara-C and Ara-U levels were determined on Days 3 and 6 of therapy, each at the end of a 3-h i.v. infusion of the drug. In the 14 patients (8 with AML, 6 with ALL) treated, a total number of 17 treatment cycles were given for remission induction with doses of Ara-C ranging from 1-3 g/m2 q 12 h 6-12 X. A complete remission rate of 47% was achieved. The duration of remission ranged from 1 to 6 months. Of the 2 patients with CNS leukemia, 1 patient achieved complete remission both in CSF and in bone marrow, the other patient only in CSF. The mean concentration of Ara-C in CSF was 903 ng/ml with a ratio of 0.38 to that in plasma. Ara-C and Ara-U did not appear to accumulate in CSF or in plasma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D007938:Leukemia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine
vernacular_title: Hochdosierte Cytarabin-Behandlung bei akuten Leukämien und Meningiosis Leucaemica: Klinik und Pharmakokinetik.