[Therapeutic effect of priming induction regimen of CAG for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia in elderly patients].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and toxicity of priming induction regimen of CAG for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in elderly patients.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with newly diagnosed AML were divided into 2 groups: 34 were treated with priming induction regimen CAG and the other 41 were treated with 2 classic routine chemotherapy regimens including pirarubicin+cytarabine (TA) and homoharringtonine+cytarabine (HA). All patients had a 14 day interval between the 2 courses of chemotherapy.

Results: The complete remission rate after 2 courses of induction therapy in patients with the priming induction regimen CAG and the total efficacy rate was significantly higher than that of the routine chemotherapy patients(67.6% vs. 39%; 82.4% vs. 56.1%). Patients with unfavorable karyotypes had poor chemotherapy efficacy. The 3-year disease-free-survival (DFS) time was longer in patients with AML treated with priming induction regimen CAG than in patients treated with 2 classic routine chemotherapy regimens. Except for the muscular soreness, the hematological and non-hematological side effects in the CAG priming induction group were significantly fewer than those in the routine chemotherapy group.

Conclusion: The priming induction regimen of CAG has a significantly higher complete remission rate and an efficacy rate, fewer side effects, milder chemotherapy intensity and is more sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs than those of the routine chemotherapy. It can shorten the duration of agranulocytosis and decrease infectious complications and increase the sensitivity of leukemia blast cells to chemotherapeutic drugs.