Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of FLAG regimen for treating patients with refractory/relaspse AML and their progonistic factors.
Methods: The 38 patients with median age 40.5 (range 13-69) were treated with FLAG regimen from July 2006 to July 2013 in hospital. According to disease status, all the patiens were divided into 4 different groups: early relapse group (3 patients), late relapse group (12 patients), first induction failure group (16 patients) and second induction failure group (7 patients); meanwhile, based on risk status, all above-mentioned patients were stratified into better (8 patients), intermediate (26 patients) and poor (4 patients) groups, respectively.
Results: Twenty two cases achieved complete remission, 5 cases achieved partial remission among 38 patients. The complete remission (CR) rate was 57.9% and the overall response (OR) rate was 71.7%. The CR rate was higher in first induction failure group (12/16, 75%) than that in second induction failure group (3/7, 42.9%) and late relapse group (6/12, 50%). In better group and intermediate group, the CR rates (5/8, 62.5%; 16/26, 61.5%) were higher than that in poor group (1/4, 25%). The risk status was associated with the CR rate (P = 0.03) [OR = 25.9(95% CI 1.2-545.4)]. The intermediate risk was favorable factor to CR. Out of 22 patients with CR, 12 patients received allogenetic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and 10 patients received large dose of cytarabine or other regimens as consolidation treatments, 6 patients who accepted allo-HSCT are still alive. The overall survival (OS) was 25 months. The univariate analyses showed that the response to FLAG was accociated with OS [HR = 0.246, CR vs NR (95% CI 0.07-0.79) P = 0.03]. The 2-year cumulative survial rates in CR group and PR group were 62% and 48%, respectively. The 18- month cumulative survival rate was 73% in better group, 52% in intermediate group, 36% in poor group (P = 0.17); and 65% in first induction failure group and 32% in second induction failure group (P = 0.19).
Conclusion: The efficacy of FLAG regimen has been confirmed to be effective for patients with refractory and relapse AML. The patients who achieved remission could acquire benefit from following HSCT or other consolidation chemotherapy, and their survials could be improved.