title: High efficacy of arsenic trioxide plus all-trans retinoic acid based induction and maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia.
abstract: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of combining arsenic trioxide (ATO) with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) based induction therapy, followed by 3 courses of consolidation chemotherapy and 2-year sequential ATO/ATRA maintenance therapy in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). 137 patients were enrolled in the study. The complete remission (CR) rate was 93.4%. All the 9 (6.6%) induction failures were due to early death. With a median follow-up of 35 months, 5 relapses (4%) in CR patients were recorded, including 3 isolated CNS relapses. By using the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 5-year overall survival and relapse-free survival of the low/intermediate risk group and high-risk group was 98.9% versus 97.4% and 98.7% versus 87.9%, respectively. The results indicated that ATO based first-line protocol is highly effective for treatment of newly diagnosed APL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Yinjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Wenyuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060828:Induction Chemotherapy; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D010087:Oxides; D014212:Tretinoin; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide