title: Acute myeloblastic leukemia secondary to myelodysplasia (MDS-AML): a comparison of remission induction with three drugs versus standard two-drugs induction.
abstract: To evaluate the addition of a third drug to standard induction chemotherapy in patients with MDS-AML, 23 patients (males/females 13/10, median age 54.3 years, range 24-74 years, median MDS duration 9.8 months, range 2-39 months) who received a standard 2-drugs induction were compared with 23 patients (males/females 11/12, median age 45.6 months, range 21-60 years, median MDS duration 8.3 months, range 2-29 months) who received an intensified 3-drugs induction with etoposide. CR rate, median CR duration and median OS were similar in both groups (48% vs 56%, 4.8 vs 5.9 months, 6.5 vs 7.0 months respectively). Among responding patients, all but one, who underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, relapsed. In conclusion, addition of a third drug (etoposide) does not seem to significantly improve the poor prognosis of MDS-AML patients.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, Università La Sapienza of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latagliata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Breccia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pulsoni
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aloe Spiriti
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: D'Elia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spadea
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montefusco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luzi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Betrò
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Petti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D005047:Etoposide; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D015255:Idarubicin