title: Mitoxantrone in patients with acute leukemia in relapse.
abstract: Twenty-six patients with acute leukemia in relapse were treated with mitoxantrone (dihydroxyanthracenedione dihydrochloride). The drug was given as a rapid i.v. infusion for 5 days, and doses were escalated from 8 mg/sq m daily for 5 days to 20 mg/sq m daily for 5 days. Five of 12 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were induced into complete remission; one patient was induced into complete remission twice. The marrow response lasted from 3 to 50+ weeks. Among 12 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia, there was one complete and one partial remission, with response duration lasting 8 and 2 weeks. One patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blastic crisis also had a partial remission lasting 17 weeks. Remissions occurred at doses ranging from 8 to 14 mg/sq m daily for 5 days. All responders had been treated previously with anthracyclines. Drug-induced side effects included dose-limiting oral mucositis, sporadic nausea and vomiting, and transient elevations of the hepatic enzymes. Approximately one-third of the patients had septic complications during the myelosuppressive phase following treatment. We believe that mitoxantrone has definite utility in the treatment of acute leukemia in relapse.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002648:Child; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008942:Mitoxantrone