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Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

High-dose cytarabine and mitoxantrone in consolidation therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia

Leukemia volume 19, pages 978–983 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

The objective of our study was to evaluate high-dose cytarabine in consolidation therapy in patients with newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Patients (age 16–60 years) received induction therapy according to the AIDA protocol (all-trans retinoic acid, idarubicin) followed by one cycle of ICE (idarubicin, cytarabine, etoposide) and two cycles of HAM (cytarabine 3 g/m2 q12h, days 1–3; mitoxantrone 10 mg/m2, days 2 and 3). From 1995 to 2003, 82 patients were enrolled. In total, 72 patients (88%) achieved a complete remission, and 10 patients (12%) died from early/hypoplastic death (ED/HD). A total of 71 patients received at least one cycle of HAM. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after 46 months were 83 and 82%, respectively. White blood cell count above 10.0 × 109/l at diagnosis and additional chromosomal aberrations were unfavorable prognostic markers for OS, whereas no prognostic markers for RFS were identified including FLT3 mutations. In conclusion, high-dose cytarabine in consolidation therapy for patients with newly diagnosed APL is an effective treatment approach.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the members of the AML Study Group for providing leukemia specimens and clinical data. This work was supported by Grant 01GI9981 from the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Kompetenznetz ‘Akute und chronische Leukämien’), Germany.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany

    R F Schlenk, L Zick, K Döhner, S Fröhling & H Döhner

  2. Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, University of Düsseldorf, Germany

    U Germing

  3. Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Homburg, Germany

    F Hartmann

  4. Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Bonn, Germany

    A Glasmacher

  5. Städtisches Klinikum, Karlsruhe, Germany

    J T Fischer

  6. Städtisches Klinikum, Oldenburg, Germany

    F del Valle y Fuentes

  7. Department of Internal Medicine III, Technical University of Munich, Germany

    K Götze

  8. Department of Internal Medicine IV, University of Giessen, Germany

    H Pralle

  9. Städtisches Krankenhaus München-Schwabing, Munich, Germany

    C Nerl

  10. Allgemeines Krankenhaus Altona, Hamburg, Germany

    H Salwender

  11. Klinikum, Stuttgart, Germany

    W Grimminger

  12. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Austria

    A Petzer

  13. Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Germany

    M Hensel

  14. Central Unit of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg, Germany

    A Benner

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Schlenk, R., Germing, U., Hartmann, F. et al. High-dose cytarabine and mitoxantrone in consolidation therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia. Leukemia 19, 978–983 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403766

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