7067 Background: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of low-dose cytarabine and aclarubicin in combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) protocol in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: A total of fifty-two elderly patients were enrolled. Twenty-eight patients were male, and 24 were female, with ages ranging from 60 to 81 years (median, 65 years). Complete remission (CR) had not been achieved in five patients after 2 courses of a standard induction regimen including daunorubicin and cytarabine or an equivalent anthracycline-based regimen. Cytogenetic analysis was performed in 40 patients, and unfavourable cytogenetic aberrations were showed in 10 patients. All patients were treated with CAG regimen including low-dose cytarabine (10 mg/m2 per 12 hours, days 1 to 14), aclarubicin (10 mg per day, days 1 to 8), and G-CSF priming (200 μg/m2 per day, days 1 to 14). Results: The overall response rate was 69.2%, and 29 of 52 (55.8%) patients achieved CR, including 23 of 35 (65.8%) patients with previously untreated AML, 6 of 17 (35.2% ) patients with refractory, relapsed and secondary AML, 4 of 9 (44.4%) patients aged over 70 years, 4 of 10 (40.0%) patients with unfavourable cytogenetic aberrations. The early death rate was 7.6%. The median overall survival duration 14 months. Myelosuppression was mild to moderate, severe nonhematologic toxicity was not observed. Conclusions: CAG priming regimen as the induction therapy is well tolerable and effective in elderly patients with AML. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Efficacy and safety of decitabine in combination with G-CSF, low-dose cytarabine and aclarubicin in newly diagnosed elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia
