AMSACRINE IN REFRACTORY ACUTE-LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 69  (7-8) , 787-789
Abstract
Thirty-two patients with heavily pretreated, relapsed acute leukemia were treated with amsacrine (120 mg/m2 per day .times. 5). The 32 patients received a total of 41 courses of therapy, and 31 patients were evaluable for response. There were no complete remissions and only 1 partial remission (3 mo.) in an adult patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Toxic effects included myelosuppression (100% of the patients), hyperbilirubinemia (41%), nausea and vomiting (41%), stomatitis (9%) and cardiac dysrhythmia (3%). Amsacrine as a single agent apparently is not a useful treatment for relapsed, heavily pretreated adult and pediatric acute leukemia.