Low-dose cytosine arabinoside in patients with acute myeloid leukemia not eligible for standard chemotherapy.

The results of treatment with low dose cytosine arabinoside (LDARA-C) in 131 AML patients ineligible for standard regimens were analyzed retrospectively. Eighty-seven were previously untreated, 25 were refractory to conventional chemotherapy and 19 were relapsed patients. The median age was 66 years (15-84). An antecedent hematological disorder (AHD) was documented in half of the patients. Overall, 22 (17%) achieved complete remission, 14 (11%) partial remission, 77 (59%) had resistant leukemia and 18 died during induction. Median disease free survival was 57 weeks and median survival, for the 87 previously untreated patients, was 22.5 weeks. The prognostic value of initial parameters was analyzed for response. Bone marrow cellularity was the only significant factor. We observed 33% vs 81% (p < 0.01) of responses in patients with normo-hypercellular and hypocellular marrow, respectively. Accordingly, there was a trend to more responses in patients with leukocyte counts of less than 10 x 10(9)/L. M4-M5 FAB subtypes were frequently resistant to LDARA-C, resulting in a lower response rate compared to M0-M2 (18% vs 32%). Other parameters, including age, sex, hemoglobin, platelet count, AHD and fever at diagnosis, had no prognostic value. Our findings suggest that LDARA-C may be an effective treatment for some patients who are not eligible for first line conventional chemotherapy. However, this schedule is not advised in patients with monocytic leukemia or those with an hypercellular marrow.