title: [Low dose cytarabine in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Apropos of 41 cases].
abstract: This is a retrospective study on the use of cytarabine at low doses in acute myeloid leukemias in 41 patients. Four groups of AML are included: group A: 19 cases of de novo AML in elderly patients; group B: ten cases of AML in relapse; group C: five cases of AML refractory to previous treatment and group D: seven cases of secondary AML. Cytarabine was given subcutaneously at the dose of 10 mg/m2 of body surface, for 21 days per month for the first course; then 15 days per month for the following courses. The response rates were 42, 20, 0, and 43% respectively for the A, B, C, and D groups. A complete remission was attained in only 15% (six patients). Extra haematological tolerance was excellent. Infection complications were noted in 66%, whereas a severe neutropenia was observed in 34% of patients. Hemorrhagic complications were more rare (20% of patients). The mean duration of complete remission was 10 months. The median survival was 10.5 months (2 to 31 months) for the responder patients, and 2.4 months (1 to 7 months) for the non-responders. Cytarabine at low doses seems to be a good indication for first intention treatment of AML in elderly patients. It does not give a bone marrow aplasia, the infection and hemorrhagic episodes are less numerous than with conventional dose chemotherapy, the life quality is improved, and treatment at home is often possible.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hémato-oncologie, CHU Hédi-Chaker, Sfax, Tunisie.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frikha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elloumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouaziz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daoud
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mseddi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khanfir
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gargouri
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Souissi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003561:Cytarabine