title: High-dose cytosine arabinoside and idarubicin treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia in myeloid blast crisis.
abstract: Chronic myeloid leukemia in myeloid blast crisis (CML-MBC) is highly resistant to standard induction chemotherapy regimens. Anecdotal results from previous clinical trials support the concept of dose escalation in patients with CML-MBC. Eight patients with CML-MBC were treated with cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) 1.5-3.0 g/m2 intravenously over 1 hr every 12 hr for 12 doses and idarubicin 12 mg/m2 intravenously daily for 3 days. Sixteen previous reports describing the use of Ara-C-based chemotherapy regimens in patients with CML-MBC were also reviewed. Our patients' median age was 62 years (range, 42-69 years). One patient achieved complete hematologic remission (95% confidence interval, 0.3%, 53%). The median survival for our patients was 7.3 months. These results were not different from previous published reports using Ara-C-based chemotherapy regimens to treat CML-MBC. In summary, the combination of high-dose Ara-C and idarubicin did not improve the overall prognosis of patients with CML-MBC. Innovative approaches need to be explored for this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Leukemia Section, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, New York 14263, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Baer
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Sait
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wetzler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D001752:Blast Crisis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D015255:Idarubicin