[Low-dose chemotherapy]

We examined the clinical results of low-dose chemotherapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and refractory acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) who were treated in our institution. Of 34 patients with MDS treated with low-dose cytarabine, 11 achieved complete remission (CR) and six achieved partial remission (PR). The CR rate of patients whose blasts had Auer bodies was significantly higher than that of the patients whose blasts did not. Although the duration of remission was generally short, the overall survival was longer in the responders (CR cases + PR cases) than in the nonresponders. Of 13 patients with MDS treated with low-dose etoposide. one achieved CR and four achieved PR. Of seven patients treated with a combination low-dose therapy consisting of cytarabine and etoposide, two achieved CR. The clinical data in some cases suggested that blasts differentiate into mature myeloid cells in vivo. Low-dose chemotherapy is one therapeutic strategy for MDS and refractory AML. Further studies on the therapy should be conducted to increase the CR rate and to prolong the duration of CR.