Durable second complete remissions with oral melphalan in hypocellular Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Refractory Anemia with Excess Blast with normal karyotype relapsing after intensive chemotherapy

Publication date: 2013 Source:Leukemia Research Reports, Volume 2, Issue 1 Author(s): Annika M. Whittle , Sylvia Feyler , David T. Bowen We treated six patients who had relapsed after intensive chemotherapy, presenting initially with AML or RAEB, a hypocellular marrow and normal karyotype, and who were deemed unsuitable for re-induction with intensive chemotherapy, with low dose oral melphalan. Three of six patients achieved complete hematological response with no significant toxicity and with a duration of 12, 8 and 3+ months respectively. These three patients had received only two prior courses of chemotherapy each, in contrast to non-responders who were more heavily pre-treated. Low dose melphalan is highly effective therapy for this rare subtype of AML/RAEB, even in relapsed disease with limited prior chemotherapy.
Source: Leukemia Research Reports - Category: Hematology Source Type: research