title: Cladribine, cytarabine and idarubicin (CLA-Ida) salvage chemotherapy in relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
abstract: The prognosis for relapsing AML patients is disappointing and the preferred salvage chemotherapy is unclear. Among other regimens, cladribine, cytarabine, and idarubicin (CLA-Ida) is used.
  
  
  
  We analyzed relapsing AML patients receiving CLA-Ida chemotherapy between July 2012 and April 2015 at three academic centers in Switzerland.
  
  
  
  Thirty-four patients underwent at least one cycle of CLA-Ida chemotherapy, with 6 patients having two cycles. Treatment-related mortality was 5.9% (2/34 patients). Eighteen patients (52.9%) achieved a complete remission (CR2), and 16 (47.1%) received subsequent allogeneic transplantation, with 8 (23.5%) of these patients remaining in complete remission after a median follow-up of 6 months. In contrast, all 16 patients not achieving CR2 died within 12 months after relapse due to progressive disease.
  
  
  
  Our data suggest a promising rate of complete remission following CLA-Ida salvage treatment in relapsing AML patients enabling a substantial proportion of such patients to proceed to allogeneic transplantation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , University Hospital Berne and University of Berne , Berne , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fridle
authors.affiliation: b Department of Hematology , University Hospital , Basel , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medinger
authors.affiliation: c Division of Hematology , University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wilk
authors.affiliation: d Department of Clinical Research , University of Berne , Berne , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seipel
authors.affiliation: b Department of Hematology , University Hospital , Basel , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Passweg
authors.affiliation: c Division of Hematology , University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Markus G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Manz
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medical Oncology , University Hospital Berne and University of Berne , Berne , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pabst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017338:Cladribine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D017338:Cladribine; D015255:Idarubicin
keywords: AML; CLA-Ida; complete remission; overall survival; relapse