Salvage treatments with all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide-based regimens in acute promyelocytic leukemia / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia with a specific clinical and molecular presentation. Treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia with all-trans retinoic acid or arsenic trioxide in association with anthracyclin has improved outcomes in this disease. We report the results of all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide-based treatment regimens in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients diagnosed in a single center. METHODS: Thirty-seven treatment events in 26 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Complete remission was achieved in 29 (78.4%) of 37 treatment events. One-year overall survival rate and 1-year event-free survival rate were 74.3% and 66.3%, respectively. Among 16 patients treated with an arsenic trioxide-based regimen, 14 patients (87.5%) achieved complete remission. The 1-year overall survival rate and 1-year event-free survival rate were 78.4% and 69.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term use of arsenic trioxide for salvage treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia seems to be efficacious and could be a bridge to intensive chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation in terms of minimizing the risk of severe disseminated intravascular coagulation.