[Low-dose cytarabine ocfosfate therapy in an elderly acute myelogenous leukemia]

A 71-year-old man was admitted for severe anemia. Bone marrow puncture revealed 48% of blast cells. A diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML-M 4) was made. As the patient was old, we administered 300mg of cytarabine ocfosfate (SPAC) for 21 days. Blast cells in bone marrow decreased 5.6%, and SPAC was considered effective. We treated him with the same dose of SPAC for 14 days after a 21-day interval from the end of the first treatment. Although leukemic cells were still seen in bone marrow after two treatments, we considered him in partial remission, and he was discharged. After discharge, the hematological findings remain almost normal with intermittent treatment of 150 mg of SPAC for over one year. Thus, cytarabine ocfosfate might be useful in elderly AML patients.