Arsenic Trioxide Effective for Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

The median disease-free survival rate at 5 years was 66.7% for patients with newly diagnosed APML who received single-agent AsO₃ induction and consolidation therapy.

Standard induction therapy for newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APML) consists of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plus an anthracycline with or without cytarabine. Use of various consolidation and maintenance chemotherapy and ATRA regimens also provide high remission and cure rates. Now, given the high therapeutic activity of arsenic trioxide (AsO₃) in patients with relapsed APML, investigators have conducted a phase II study of single-agent AsO₃ induction and consolidation therapy (1 or 4 courses) in patients with newly diagnosed APML.

Of 197 patients, 169 (85.8%) achieved complete remission. Early death or induction failure occurred in the remainder, most often among patients with white blood cell (WBC) counts >10,000/mm³ cause…

Reviewing Author

Michael E. Williams, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee

Michael E. Williams, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee