Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology Advance Access originally published online on September 19, 2005
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2005 35(10):612-616; doi:10.1093/jjco/hyi149
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© 2005 Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research
Phase II Trial of Amsacrine Plus Intermediate-dose Ara-C (IDAC) with or without Etoposide as Salvage Therapy for Refractory or Relapsed Acute Leukemia
1 Department of Hematology/Oncology, 2 Stem Cell Transplantation Center, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea
For reprints and all correspondence: Sang Kyun Sohn, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 50 Samduk 2-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-721, Korea. E-mail: sksohn{at}knu.ac.kr
Received May 12, 2005; accepted July 24, 2005
Objective: The current trial attempted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a salvage therapy consisting of amsacrine plus intermediate-dose Ara-C (IDAC) with or without etoposide for acute leukemia patients in refractory or relapsed states.
Methods: A total of 51 patients with refractory or relapsed acute leukemia were included in the current trial. Twenty-nine patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) received a salvage therapy of amsacrine plus IDAC and etoposide, while 22 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) received amsacrine plus IDAC.
Results: The overall complete remission rate was 55% (45% for AML, 68% for ALL) and the median duration of overall survival was 144 days (95% confidence interval = 101186 days). Grade 3, 4 infectious toxicities were observed in 43 patients (87%), while treatment-related toxicity, excluding infectious causes, included heart failure from myocarditis (n = 1) and central nervous system toxicity (n = 1).
Conclusion: A salvage therapy consisting of amsacrine plus IDAC with or without etoposide appears to be safe and an effective bridge therapy into a stem cell transplantation programme for patients with refractory or relapsed acute leukemia.
Key Words: acute leukemia salvage therapy amsacrine intermediate-dose Ara-C etoposide