A homoharringtonine-based induction regimen for the treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a single center experience from China.
OBJECTIVE
The response to remission induction in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains poor. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a plant alkaloid, homoharringtonine, in combination with cytarabine as an induction therapy for AML in elderly patients (> or =60 years).


RESULTS
Twenty-three patients were treated with the HA regimen consisting of homoharringtonine (2 mg/m2/day for 7 days) and cytarabine (Ara-C, 100 mg/m2/day for 7 days). The overall response rate was 56.5% with complete remission (CR) rate of 39.1% and partial remission of 17.4%. There was no early death in this cohort of patients. The estimated median overall survival (OS) time of all patients was (12.0 +/- 3.0) months. The estimated OS time of the CR patients was 15 months. The estimated one-year OS rate of all patients treated with HA protocol was (49.3 +/- 13.5) %. The estimated one-year OS rate of the CR patients was (62.5 +/- 17.1) %.


CONCLUSIONS
HA is a suitable induction regimen for elderly patients with AML, with relatively low toxicity and reasonable response rate.
Wang
Jianmin
J
Department of Hematology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China. jmwang@medmail.com.cn
Lü
Shuqing
S
Yang
Jianmin
J
Song
Xianmin
X
Chen
Li
L
Huang
Chongmei
C
Hou
Jun
J
Zhang
Weiping
W
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006248:Harringtonines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077863:Homoharringtonine; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D006248:Harringtonines; D003561:Cytarabine; D000077863:Homoharringtonine