RANDOMIZED CLINICAL COMPARISON OF DAUNORUBICIN (NSC-82151) ALONE WITH A COMBINATION OF DAUNORUBICIN, CYTOSINE-ARABINOSIDE (NSC-63878), 6-THIOGUANINE (NSC-752), AND PYRIMETHAMINE (NSC-3061) FOR TREATMENT OF ACUTE NONLYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 60  (1) , 41-53
Abstract
Sixty-six newly diagnosed patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia received either daunorubicin alone or a combination of daunorubicin, cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine and pyrimethamine for remission-induction therapy. The 2 treatment groups were comparable with respect to the 2 major prognostic factors in this disease, i.e., age and presence or absence of infection on admission. The 2 therapies produced similar results with respect to CR [complete remission] rate and median survival. Single-agent therapy was associated with less utilization of hospital inpatient facilities and fewer platelet transfusions. The 4-drug combination did not decrease the incidence of meningeal leukemia. Patients who achieved CR were treated with 3 half-dose consolidation courses of the successful remission-induction regimen. Subsequently, all patients received cyclophosphamide and guanazole monthly for maintenance therapy. Median durations of remission for both induction-treatment groups were similar (6.8 and 5.6 mos). The therapeutic results with the single agent in this study were not inferior to those obtained with the drug combination tested, as well as most other previously reported combinations of antileukemic drugs.