Background: Cytarabine based therapy has been the standard consolidation regimen for AML (acute myeloid leukemia) for decades. However, the optimal dose, regimen and schedule is not known. HIDAC (high dose cytarabine at 18 g/m2) has been the conventional standard, however, recent studies have shown that intermediate doses of cytarabine (IDAC) have equal efficacy and lesser toxicities.
Methods: We retrospectively analysed 75 AML patients who entered consolidation out of 167 patients who underwent induction therapy between 2014 and 2018. HIDAC (at 18 g/m2) was given to 39 patients and 36 patients received IDAC at 9 g/m2.
Results: Median age was 28 years (range 2-60). Male: female ratio was 1.02. More courses were administered in out-patient setting in IDAC group 61% (n = 58/95 courses) than in HIDAC 29% (n = 29/101 courses); p < 0.001. Incidence of clinically documented infection (CDI) was higher in HIDAC group (23.7%) compared to IDAC (8.4%), p = 0.004, and diarrhea showed a higher trend in the HIDAC group (9.9% vs. 3.1%; p = 0.052). Other toxicities were similar in both groups. There were 4 consolidation deaths in HIDAC whereas 3 deaths in IDAC group (p = 0.775). Median OS was 19.7 vs. 16.2 months and 3 years OS was 49.1% vs. 34.7% in HIDAC and IDAC groups respectively (p = 0.570). Median LFS was 12.6 versus 11.8 months; 3 years LFS was 46.4% versus 31% in HIDAC and IDAC groups respectively (p = 0.278).
Conclusion: For AML consolidation IDAC had lesser toxicity when compared with HIDAC though comparable efficacy needs to be confirmed with longer follow up and with prospective studies.
Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-021-01430-z.
Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Cytarabine; Dose; Survival; Toxicity.
© Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion 2021.