AMSA - A PROMISING NEW AGENT IN REFRACTORY ACUTE-LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 66  (7) , 1475-1478
Abstract
Forty-five patients with various forms of acute leukemia refractory to usual methods of treatment were treated with AMSA [4''-(9-acridinylamino)-methanesulfonanilide] at doses of 100-200 mg/m2 i.v. daily for 5-7 days, for total doses of 500-1000 mg/m2 per course. Among 41 evaluable patients, 6 (15%) achieved complete remissions, including 2 of 19 patients with typical acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, 0 of 4 with atypical acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, 2 of 9 with chronic granulocytic leukemia in blast crisis, 2 of 8 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 0 of 1 with acute undifferentiated leukemia. Durations of complete remissions were 6, 7, 8, 12, 13 and 14 wk. Four of the patients who died with infection during marrow hypoplasia 2-5 wk after receiving AMSA had no evidence of leukemia on premortem bone marrow aspirates or postmortem examination. The primary toxic effects of AMSA were severe myelosuppression, stomatitis and alopecia. One incident of life-threatening liver failure occurred. AMSA appears to be a promising agent for use in heavily pretreated patients with acute leukemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia in blast crisis.