Multiple complete remissions in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (M4eo) with low-dose cytosine arabinoside and all-trans retinoic acid.
A 54-year-old female with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (FAB M4eo) was treated at second relapse with a combination of low-dose cytosine arabinoside (LDAraC) (20 mg b.i.d. subcutaneously) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) (45 mg/m2/d orally) on days 1-10. The patient achieved a complete hematological remission after the first cycle and was consolidated with three similar cycles at four-week intervals. Subsequently, the patient relapsed several times. Altogether seven complete hematological remissions including some cytogenetic remissions were induced with the same regimen. The patient survived 81 months after the start with LDAraC-ATRA regimen. This low-toxicity regimen may be useful in some patients with poor-risk AML.
Jantunen
E
E
Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O.B. 1777, 70211 Kuopio, Finland. esa.jantunen@kuh.fi
Mahlamäki
E
E
Heinonen
K
K
Nousiainen
T
T
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015479:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D003561:Cytarabine; D014212:Tretinoin