Mitoxantrone in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia: a review

Mitoxantrone is an intravenous anthracenedione structurally related to the anthracycline antibiotics. This drug has been used for several years in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Its use has been based on its pharmacological properties, its incomplete cross-resistance with other intercalating agents, and its better tolerance as predicted by preclinical studies. Various treatment schedules, using mitoxantrone alone and in combination with other antileukemic agents, have been used in clinical trials. Complete remission (CR) rates ranged from 14 to 44% in refractory AML and from 46 to 79% in relapsed patients. Although a superiority of mitoxantrone over anthracyclines has not been clearly demonstrated in newly diagnosed patients, mitoxantrone is now recognized as a useful drug in first line therapy. The tolerability profile of mitoxantrone indicates that it offers patients an acceptable quality of life compared with standard treatment regimens, and could be a good alternative to the anthracyclines. The development of new therapeutic concepts aiming at an optimization of its use is now in process and first results are promising.