[Acute promyelocytic leukemia: retrospective study of 119 patients treated with daunorubicin]

A retrospective study of 119 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treated with similar DNR containing regimens in reported. Antecedent of radiation exposure or cancer was found in 10 patients. At presentation hyperleucocytosis was rare (13/119 greater than 30 000/microliter); variant form was identified in 5 cases. Organomegaly was uncommon and severe metabolic abnormality was never noted at presentation. DIC was observed in 75% of pts; t (15;17) was confirmed in 25/30 pts. Complete remission (CR) rates have increased from 43% to 76% on account of improvement of supportive therapy with adequate DIC management. Addition of ARA C did not improve CR rates (72%). Surprisingly duration of CR seems related to maintenance therapy as 11/26 pts receiving 6 MP-MTX maintenance regimen were long-term survivors as compared to 1/34 comparable pts receiving cyclic monthly courses of chemotherapy.