The role of standard-dose cytarabine in children with acute promyelocytic leukemia: a single-center experience

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2011 Mar;33(2):e46-50. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0b013e3181ed3384.

Abstract

Background: There are very limited data reported about the role of cytarabine (Ara-C) in childhood acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We review the clinical course and treatment outcome of APL and explore the role of standard-dose Ara-C for children.

Procedure: Between January 1999 and December 2008, 36 children (<14 y) with newly diagnosed APL were included.

Results: The overall complete remission rate was 97.2% (35/36). Two patients were lost to follow-up after induction. Two groups of patients were identified according to different consolidation chemotherapy regimens. Seventeen patients were given polychemotherapy in combination with standard-dose Ara-C (group I), 16 patients were given daunorubicin alone (group II). Although the 5-year estimate of disease-free survival between groups I and II had no statistically significant difference (P = 0.614), there was a 12% higher disease-free survival rate for group I.

Conclusion: Standard-dose Ara-C might play some role in the consolidation treatment of children suffering from APL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Cytarabine / therapeutic use*
  • Daunorubicin / therapeutic use
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / mortality
  • Male
  • Mercaptopurine / therapeutic use
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tretinoin / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Cytarabine
  • Tretinoin
  • Mercaptopurine
  • Methotrexate
  • Daunorubicin