Successful reinduction therapy with amsacrine and cyclocytidine in acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia in children. A report from the childrens cancer study group

✍ Scribed by Linda P. Miller; Allan F. Pyesmany; Lawrence J. Wolff; Paul C. J. Rogers; Stuart E. Siegel; Robert J. Wells; Jonathan D. Buckley; G. Denman Hammond

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 644 KB
• Volume: 67
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19910501)67:9<2235::aid-cncr2820670904>3.0.co;2-2

✦ Synopsis

Amsacrine (AMSA) and cyclocytidine were studied as retrieval therapy in 122 pediatric patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL). Patients either failed to achieve sustained initial remissions or were in relapse. Induction therapy consisted of intravenous (IV) AMSA (75 mg/mz) from days 1 to 5 and subcutaneous cyclocytidine (600 mg/mz) from days 1 to 7. Maintenance therapy consisted of IV etoposide (VP-16) (100 mg/m') for 5 days and IV AMSA (100 mg/m2) on day 1. Of 122 patients, 109 were evaluable. There were 13 early deaths. Ninety-six patients received adequate therapy defined as completion of two courses of therapy. Of these 96 patients, 52 achieved complete remission. Fifteen of 33 patients who failed initial induction achieved complete remission. Eighteen of 39 patients who were resistant to anthracyclines had complete responses. There was no direct evidence of AMSAinduced cardiotoxicity. Remission duration was 28 days to 3 or more years (median, 98 days). AMSA and cyclocytidine were effective retrieval therapy for patients who were in relapse or unresponsive to frontline therapy. Duration of remission was short (median, 98 days). Cancer 67:2235-2240,1991.

EW DRUGS or combinations of drugs are needed in N acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) for reinduction of patients in relapse or for initial induction