DAE (DAUNORUBICIN, ARA-C, AND ETOPOSIDE) AND INTERMEDIATE DOSE ARA-C FOR REMISSION INDUCTION AND CONSOLIDATION TREATMENT OF ADULT PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA

Fifty-one patients (age 18-73 years) with acute myeloid leukemia were treated with daunorubicin, cytarabine, and etoposide in an age-adjusted protocol, with patients older than 50 receiving fewer days of therapy. Complete remission (CR) occurred in 66% of the patients (34 of 51 patients). Patients 50 years of age and younger achieved a 74% CR rate (23 of 31 patients) compared to a 55% CR rate (11 of 20 patients) in older patients. Of the 34 complete responders, 11 (32%) refused consolidation therapy and received traditional Chinese herbal medicine. All of these 11 patients relapsed after a short remission duration (median, 3.8 months) and died. The median remission duration and median overall survival of 23 complete responders receiving at least two courses of consolidation therapy were 10.1 and 19.8 months, respectively. The actuarial 3-year disease-free survival for these 23 complete responders was 21 +/- 9%. Myelosuppression was the major toxicity, and nonhematological side effects were acceptable. The regimen appeared to have acceptable toxicity, and its efficacy was comparable with that of standard regimens with long-term maintenance therapy.