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Combined Cytosine-arabinoside plus interferon-alpha .2. Clinical-studies in leukemia and lymphoma
International Journal of Oncology
|May 17, 2011
Summary
This study shows that combining cytosine arabinoside with interferon alpha 2b is effective for treating relapsed refractory hematologic malignancies. The combination therapy demonstrated significant clinical activity with manageable toxicity in heavily pretreated patients.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Relapsed refractory hematologic malignancies pose a significant treatment challenge.
- Limited effective therapeutic options exist for patients with these advanced cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical activity and safety of a combination therapy for relapsed refractory hematologic malignancies.
- To assess the efficacy of cytosine arabinoside plus interferon alpha 2b in AML, blastic-CML, and NHL.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen patients with relapsed refractory hematologic malignancies received continuous infusion of cytosine arabinoside (100 mg/m2/day) and interferon alpha 2b (10 U/m2/day) for 7-10 days.
- Treatment was guided by in vitro synergy data between the two agents.
- Patient outcomes, including complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR), were assessed.
Main Results:
- Two patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) achieved CR.
- Complete remission was observed in 4/7 (57%) patients with blastic-CML and 1/4 (24%) patients with NHL.
- Five patients achieved PR, indicating overall clinical activity.
Conclusions:
- The combination of cytosine arabinoside and interferon alpha 2b demonstrates significant clinical activity in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed refractory hematologic malignancies.
- The treatment regimen was well-tolerated, with transient hematologic suppression as the primary toxicity.
- This combination therapy represents a promising option for managing advanced hematologic cancers.
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