All-trans retinoic acid and short-time, high-dose cytarabine in two children with acute promyelocytic leukemia

Med Pediatr Oncol. 1996 Apr;26(4):254-7. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-911X(199604)26:4<254::AID-MPO6>3.0.CO;2-I.

Abstract

We report on two girls, 3 and 13 years old, with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) who were successfully treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) 45 mg/m2/day. "Retinoic acid syndrome" was prevented with short-time treatment of high dose (4 x 1.5 g/m2) cytarabine. This regimen was well tolerated, although both children were critically ill. They achieved a complete remission confirmed by light microscopy, but reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction remained positive after ATRA, underlining the need of further chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Critical Illness
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Cytarabine / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukocytosis / chemically induced
  • Leukocytosis / drug therapy
  • Remission Induction
  • Syndrome
  • Tretinoin / administration & dosage
  • Tretinoin / adverse effects
  • Tretinoin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cytarabine
  • Tretinoin