Short-term treatment for acute myelogenous leukaemia

Short-term treatment with doxorubicin, cytarabine, and 6-thioguanine was given to 91 consecutive adults with acute myelogenous leukaemia. Fifty patients received high doses (regimen I) and 41 very high doses (regimen II). Where possible, six treatment cycles were given (total dose of doxorubicin 450 mg/m2) regardless of the number of cycles required to achieve complete remission. No additional treatment was given. The remission rate was significantly higher with regimen I than with regimen II (34/50 compared with 15/41, p less than 0.01), the latter, more intensive regimen being associated with a greater incidence of fatal infection (13/41 compared with 5/50, p less than 0.01). Duration of remission was, however, significantly longer with regimen II (p less than 0.05); the median has not yet been reached after a minimum follow-up of two years. Intensive short-term treatment is a feasible strategy for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukaemia.