title: [Application of all-trans retinoic acid combining chemotherapy and As4S4 in the maintenance treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) combining chemotherapy and As4S4 with ATRA combining chemotherapy for the maintenance treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with APL induced to complete remission by ATRA and consolidated by chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups. Thirty patients as As4S4 group received ATRA + As4S4 + chemotherapy, and another thirty patients as non-As4S4 group were treated only with ATRA + chemotherapy as maintenance therapy. The therapeutic effects, side effects and PML-RARalpha gene expression were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three-year continuous complete remission (CCR) rate was 90.0% for As4S4 group and 61.1% for non-As4S4 group, the difference being statistically significant. Significant difference was also found in the positive rate of PML-RARalpha fusion gene between the two groups. The side effects were mild.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APL patients in maintenance therapy with ATRA + 6-MP + MTX + As4S4 can obtain a higher CCR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Henan Tumor Hospital, Henan Institute of Hematology, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Quan-de
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xu-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan-yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-fu
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Quan-li
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Xing-hu
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Yang-li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bai-jun
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Jian-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Dong-xia
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jie-ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yong-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D013440:Sulfides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D013440:Sulfides; D014212:Tretinoin; C534735:tetraarsenic tetrasulfide