title: Clofarabine in the treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have a poor outcome because of co- morbidities, poor tolerance to intensive chemotherapy and inherently more resistant disease. Clofarabine is a second generation nucleoside analogue which has shown promising activity in elderly patients with AML. This study was conducted to review the outcome of treatment with clofarabine in a group of such patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of 5 elderly patients who were diagnosed to have AML and treated with clofarabine over a 12 month period were reviewed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 2 female and 3 male patients with a median age of 68 years (range 65-82). At the time of treatment, 2 patients had newly diagnosed AML not considered suitable for intensive therapy, while 3 patients had partial or no response to conventional chemotherapy. The overall response rate was 100%, all patients achieving a complete remission. Induction and consolidation were well tolerated. All patients developed neutropenia with a median duration of 20 days (range 17-42). One patient developed hand and foot syndrome and a generalized rash but recovered. There was no mortality and all patients remained in remission after a median follow-up of 5.2 months (Range 3-10).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clofarabine (alone or in combination) is active in elderly AML patients with an acceptable safety profile and should be considered a potential option in this group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology /Oncology, College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ameralem@ksu.edu.sa
authors.forename: Aamer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aleem
authors.forename: Farhan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.forename: Farjah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Algahtani
authors.forename: Zafar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alsaleh
authors.forename: Abdulkareem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almomen
mesh_terms: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001087:Arabinonucleosides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077866:Clofarabine; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D060831:Hand-Foot Syndrome; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013534:Survival; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D001087:Arabinonucleosides; D000077866:Clofarabine