Long-term disappearance of previous chromosomal abnormalities in myelodysplastic syndromes treated with low dose cytosine arabinoside and granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor.

Most therapies for elderly patients with myelodysplastic syndromes offer few short responses and little improvement in survival. We describe two patients who, after several cycles of low dose cytosine arabinoside and GM-CSF, achieved and maintained complete remission and became transfusion independent. Previous chromosomal abnormalities also disappeared and karyotype remains normal.