Randomized clinical comparison of daunorubicin (NSC-82151) alone with a combination of daunorubicin, cytosine arabinoside (NSC-63878) , 6-thioguanine (NSC-752) , and pyrimethamine (NSC-3061) for the treatment of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia
Wiernik, P.H.; Schimpff, S.C.; Schiffer, C.A.; Lichtenfeld, J.L.; Aisner, J.; O'connell, M.J.; Fortner, C.
Cancer Treatment Reports 60(1): 41-53
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0361-5960 PMID: 1069608 Document Number: 97744
Sixty-six newly diagnosed patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia received either daunorubicin alone or a combination of daunorubicin, cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine and pyrimethamine for remission-induction therapy. The 2 treatment groups were comparable with respect to the 2 major prognostic factors in this disease, i.e., age and presence or absence of infection on admission. The 2 therapies produced similar results with respect to CR rate and median survival. Single-agent therapy was associated with less utilization of hospital inpatient facilities and fewer platelet transfusions. The 4-drug combination did not decrease the incidence of meningeal leukemia. Patients who achieved CR were treated with 3 half-dose consolidation courses of the successful remission-induction regimen. Subsequently, all patients received cyclophosphamide and guanazole monthly for maintenance therapy. Median durations of remission for both induction-treatment groups were similar (6.8 and 5.6 mos). The therapeutic results with the single agent in this study were not inferior to those obtained with the drug combination tested, as well as most other previously reported combinations of antileukemic drugs.