title: Acute promyelocytic leukemia: an experience from a tertiary care centre in north India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are very limited data reported about acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) from developing countries. We reviewed the clinical course and treatment outcome of APL patients treated at our center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1997 and December 2007, 33 patients with APL received induction therapy using ATRA + daunorubicin (n = 26), As = 26), As2O3 (n = 4) or daunorubicin + cytosar ( n = 3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was 30 years with a male to female ratio of 1.68. Twenty seven patients (82%) achieved CR. Complications during induction therapy were febrile neutropenia (33%), ATRA syndrome (30%), bleeding (58%), and diarrhea in (6%) patients. During induction and follow up, 8 (24.24%) patients died, 6 (18.18%) during induction, 1 (3%) during maintenance, and 1 (3%) after relapse. Median OS is 128 months while median EFS is 61 months. Four patients relapsed at a median time of 61 months. At the time of censoring, 25 patients were alive at a median follow up of 13 months (range 0.6 -127 months); 21 in CR1, 3 in CR2, 1 in CR3. Comparisons among the risk groups (CR and relapse rate and survival statistics) were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APL is a highly curable malignancy. Our results confirm the findings of the published literature from larger cooperative studies from the West. We may further improve outcome with quicker diagnosis and more efficient supportive care system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bajpai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dabkara
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kochupillai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D010087:Oxides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001152:Arsenicals; D010087:Oxides; D014212:Tretinoin; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide