Efficacy of etoposide and mitoxantrone in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia refractory to standard induction therapy and intermediate-dose cytarabine with amsidine. Dutch Hematology-Oncology Working Group for Adults (HOVON).
Thirty-seven newly diagnosed patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were not in complete remission (CR) after induction chemotherapy with cytarabine and daunorubicin followed by intermediate-dose cytarabine and amsacrine, were treated with mitoxantrone and etoposide in a prospective, open multicenter study. The aim was to examine the efficacy and the toxicity of mitoxantrone and etoposide in a patient population with bad prognosis because of refractoriness to two standardized induction courses. Twelve patients attained CR (32.4%). Responders were found only among the patients with documented susceptibility (i.e. partial remission) to the previous therapy. In responding patients the median remission duration and disease-free survival was 15+ months (range 3-52+). Toxicity was mainly hematologic and characterized by prolonged hypoplasia; one patient died in aplasia. Granulocytes and platelets recovered unexpectedly early in six of 22 non-responders. This study suggests that AML patients refractory to two standardized chemotherapy courses can still attain a durable CR after an additional course, here with mitoxantrone and etoposide, provided they show some responsiveness to the previously given cytostatic drugs.
Daenen
S
S
University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
Löwenberg
B
B
Sonneveld
P
P
van Putten
W L
WL
Verhoef
G
G
Verdonck
L F
LF
van Veldhoven
M
M
Huijgens
P C
PC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000677:Amsacrine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012074:Remission Induction
D000677:Amsacrine; D003561:Cytarabine; D005047:Etoposide; D008942:Mitoxantrone