title: [Therapeutic effect of clofarabine in children with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the efficacy and adverse effects of clofarabine for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia were treated with clofarabine. There were 22 males and 4 females, with a mean age of 9.5 years (ranging from 4 to 17 years). They received clofarabine 52 mg/m2 intravenously over 2 hours daily for 5 days. Thirteen patients received two cycles and one patient received three cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the first cycle of clofarabine, complete remission was obtained in 11 children (42%) and partial remission was obtained in 7 children (27%). Eight children (31%) were considered unresponsive. In the second cycle, 11 (85%) of the 13 children obtained complete remission, 1 (8%) partial remission and 1 (8%) was unresponsive. One child received three cycles and obtained complete remission in each cycle. The common adverse events were myelosuppression, infection, liver dysfunction and gastrointestinal adverse reactions. There were no chemotherapy-related deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clofarabine is effective in the treatment of children with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia and its adverse effects can be tolerated. Clofarabine could be a promising new treatment for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suo
authors.forename: Le-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ai-Dong
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ying-Xi
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Yi-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Gui-Lan
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001087:Arabinonucleosides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000077866:Clofarabine; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001087:Arabinonucleosides; D000077866:Clofarabine