Combination treatment of flag with non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (MYOCET(TM)) in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a single center experience

Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2011 Jul-Sep;24(3):703-9. doi: 10.1177/039463201102400316.

Abstract

The incidence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) increases with age, but results of intensive chemotherapy in elderly patients are disappointing. Non-pegylated liposomal formulations of doxorubicin (Myocet™) have been developed with the aim of reducing systemic and cardiac toxicity especially in the elderly. We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity profiles of fludarabine, cytarabine and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (FLAG) regimen given in association with Myocet™ in 35 patients with AML, median age 69 years (range 61-83 years). Nineteen (54.3%) had newly-diagnosed AML, twelve (34.3%) patients had secondary AML (ten with Myelodisplastic Syndrome, two with Primary Myelofibrosis) and 4 (11.4%) patients had had a late relapse (>12 months) of AML. Complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) were obtained in twenty-two (63%) and 3 (8.5%) patients, respectively. Seven (20%) patients showed a resistant disease. There were 3 early deaths (8.5%). Six patients (17%) experienced severe cardiovascular toxicity. The median overall survival (OS) was 12 months (range 1-52 months) with a median disease-free survival (DFS) of 20 months (range 1-48 months). One-year and two-year DFS were 78.9% and 26.7%, respectively. This study demonstrates that in elderly patients with AML, FLAG-Myocet combination shows promising efficacy response with acceptable toxicity, enabling most patients to receive further treatments, including transplantation procedures.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Survival Analysis
  • Vidarabine / administration & dosage
  • Vidarabine / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Cytarabine
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Doxorubicin
  • Vidarabine
  • fludarabine