Treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia in adults with N4‐behenoyl‐1‐β‐D‐arabinofuranosylcytosine

Abstract

Forty‐five previously‐untreated adult patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) were treated with N4‐behenoyl‐1‐β‐D‐arabinofuranosyl‐cytosine (BHAC) in a multi‐institutional cooperative study. Among 41 evaluable patients, 15 (36.6%) achieved complete remission (CR) and 10 (24.4%) achieved partial remission by daily administration of 3 to 8 mg/kg of BHAC. Higher daily doses (5 mg/kg or more) produced higher CR rates, and all of the CR were observed among the patients receiving a total BHAC dosage of 50 mg/kg or more in a period of 10 days or more. The side effects were mild and acceptable: nausea–anorexia was observed in 27% of the patients and vomiting in 17%. The results of this study thus indicate BHAC to be effective for remission induction of AML, and to deserve further clinical trials in combination with other anti‐leukemic drugs. Cancer 56: 1913‐1917, 1985. Copyright © 1985 American Cancer Society