title: Low dose of homoharringtonine and cytarabine combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor priming on the outcome of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To explore the effect of low dose of homoharringtonine (HHT) and cytarabine (Ara-c) combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) priming (HAG regimen) on relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were enrolled. All the patients were treated with HAG regimen (HHT 1.5 mg/m(2)/day, 1-14d; Ara-C 7.5 mg/m(2)/12 h, 1-14d; G-CSF 150 μg/m(2)/day, according to the counting of the peripheral white blood cells). Blood cell counting, liver, kidney function, ECG and myocardial enzymes were monitored regularly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five of 67 (52.2%) patients achieved complete remission (CR) and 8/67 (11.9%) partial remission (PR). The overall response rate was 64.1%. Myelosuppression was the most frequently observed adverse effect. Sixty of 67 (89.5%) patients suffered from grade 1-4 adverse effects of hematologic toxicity (according to World Health Organization criteria) and non-hematologic toxicity was mild.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, HAG regimen was effective and tolerated well in refractory or relapsed AML. As a promising regimen for relapse or refractory AML, further observations should be made.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an JiaoTong University, Xiwu Road 157#, 710004 Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liu-Fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Wang-Gang
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fang-Xia
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xing-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yin-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ai-Li
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006248:Harringtonines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077863:Homoharringtonine; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000032:analysis; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D006248:Harringtonines; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D003561:Cytarabine; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D000077863:Homoharringtonine