The responses of arsenic trioxide-based therapy in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia / 白血病·淋巴瘤

ABSTRACT

Objective To analysis long-term effects and safety of arsenic trioxide (ATO)-based induction and maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Methods Retrospective analysis induction remission and post-remission treatment of 62 newly diagnosed APL patients was performed. These cases were followed up for 5 and 7 years. Results The complete remission (CR) rate was similar in ATO/all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induction group and ATRA/chemotherapy induction group.However, the former group has the shorter time to CR. The negative rate of PML-RARα fusion gene after induction without ATO was less than that of ATO group (86.2 % vs 56.3 %, P ＜0.05). After CR, the 5-year overall survival (OS) between ATO-base rotation maintenance group and chemotherapy-base rotation maintenance group showed that the former was (94.4±5.4) %, the latter is (45.5±10.2) %; 7-year OS was (52.5±23.7) % and (27.3±9.3) %; 5-year disease free survivals (DFS) was (94.7±5,5) % and (41.3±10.1) %; 7-year DFS was (52.6±23.7) % and (27.5±9.4) %. There was significant different in 5-year or 7-year OS and DFS between two groups (P ＜0.05). The relapse rates of the two groups in post-remission treatment were 14.7 % and 37.0 % (P ＜0.05). Conclusion ATO combined ATRA induction therapy increased the negative rate of PML-RARα fusion gene. ATO-base rotation maintenance improved long-term outcome and decreased the rate of relapse. Furthermore, ATO appeared to be generally safe and well tolerated.