ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the efficacy and adverse effect of IHDA [Idarubicin(IDA) + high-dose Cytarabine(HD-Ara-C)] as a remedy regimen in the treatment of pediatric patients with refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL).Methods Twelve children with refractory ALL were treated by IHDA regimen as follows:IDA,10 mg/(m2·d),d1-3;Ara-C,1.0g/m2,q12h,d1-3.The children who achieved complete remission(CR)could get into the following sequential regimens or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).The same regimen was given to the children who didn't achieve CR when WBC >2.0×109/L.The efficacy and hematology or non-hematology adverse effect were evaluated.Results CR/partial remission (PR)/non-remission (NR) were respectively 4/3/5 cases after giving the first regimen,and CR/PR/NR were 5/3/4 cases after giving the second regimen,respectively.The overall remission was 66.7% (8/12 cases),of which 5 cases(41.7%) achieved CR,3 cases (25.0%) reached PR and 4 cases(33.3%) reached NR.Grade Ⅳ myelosuppression occurred in all patients,but no severe infection and hemorrhage happened after the application of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF),platelet transfusion and anti-infection treatment.Some reversible side effects like liver toxicity,myocardial damage and nerve injury were observed in some patients.There was no chemotherapy related mortality in all the patients.Two cases relapsed again followed up to October 2015.One achieved CR after applying chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy and was receiving allo-HSCT now.Another was dead after applying FLAG (Prednisone+Fludarabine+Ara-C+G-CSF) save regimen.The time of the other 3 cases achieving CR was 26,10,4 months,respectively.Among the remaining 7 cases,3 cases were forced to receive hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,2 cases abandoned treatment and 2 cases failed to follow up.Conclusions The IHDA regimen is a well-effective and tolerated treatment for pediatric patients with refractory ALL,and could create an opportunity for the application of allo-HSCT.