Open AccessClinical Experience of Arsenic Trioxide in Relapsed Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia
Author(s) -
Soignet Steven L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the oncologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.176
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1549-490X
pISSN - 1083-7159
DOI - 10.1634/theoncologist.6-suppl_2-11
Subject(s) - arsenic trioxide , medicine , acute promyelocytic leukemia , regimen , clinical trial , oncology , anthracycline , salvage therapy , chemotherapy , population , induction chemotherapy , leukemia , retinoic acid , arsenic , cancer , biochemistry , materials science , chemistry , environmental health , breast cancer , metallurgy , gene
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has unique clinical, cytogenetic, and molecular features and is one of the most potentially curable human malignancies. The current standard treatment given to patients with newly diagnosed APL con‐sists of all‐trans retinoic acid and anthracycline‐based cytotoxic chemotherapy, which is highly effective for remission induction. However, despite the potential for cure with existing treatments, approximately 20%‐30% of patients relapse and require salvage therapy. Reports of the safety and efficacy of arsenic trioxide from centers in China led to a pivotal trial of this agent in the United States for patients with relapsed APL. In an initial pilot study, 11 of 12 patients experienced a complete response, and a subsequent multicenter trial confirmed the efficacy and safety of arsenic trioxide for remission induction in this patient population. Additional trials are under way to evaluate the use of this agent alone or as part of a chemotherapy regimen for consolidation and maintenance of patients with APL.