Chemotherapy for acute non-lymphocytic leukemia with low-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C)

We administered low-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) to 32 newly diagnosed acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) patients, 10 mg/m2 twice a day for 14-21 days, by subcutaneous injection or continuous intravenous infusion. CFU-GM of bone marrow cells were performed before low-dose Ara-C in some patients. Patients ranged in age from 21 to 78 years old. Ten showed complete remission and 16 partial response. The pretreatment CFU-GM pattern did not reflect the response to low-dose Ara-C. The major hematological effect of the treatment was myelosuppression, and most patients required platelet transfusion and the administration of antibiotics. Our study suggested that low-dose Ara-C treatment benefits some ANLL patients.