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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors
Published on: August 5, 2022
Feasibility of therapy with hypomethylating agents in patients with renal insufficiency
G Nicolas Batty1, Hagop Kantarjian, Jean-Pierre Issa
1Department of Leukemia, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Background:
To our knowledge, the feasibility of therapy with hypomethylating agents (HAs) in patients with renal insufficiency (RI) has not been examined.
Patients And Methods:
We reviewed 41 patients with a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (n = 17), myelodysplastic syndromes (n = 15), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (n = 9) who had RI and were receiving therapy with azacitidine or decitabine. The median number of administered cycles was 3. Most patients (39; 95%) received a standard dose of the drugs at the initiation of therapy. Nine patients (22%) required treatment interruptions or discontinuation, and 10 patients (24%) required dose reductions.
Results:
The overall response rate was 63%, and 4 patients (10%) achieved a complete response. Twenty patients (51%) experienced grade 3 or 4 myelosuppression-related toxicities. Hospitalization was required in 68% of the patients. Among 12 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 29 mL per minute or less, 6 required dose reductions attributable to myelosuppression (n = 3) or to worsening renal function (n = 3). The overall survival (OS) at 18 months was 12%, and the median OS was 8.6 months.
Conclusion:
The use of HA in patients with RI is feasible, but is associated with a higher incidence of toxicity. Dose adjustments and the use of growth factor may be necessary for some patients.
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