MITOXANTRONE (DIHYDROXYANTHRACENEDIONE) IN ACUTE-LEUKEMIA - AN EVALUATION OF 2 TREATMENT SCHEDULES BY THE SOUTHWEST-ONCOLOGY-GROUP

Fifty-eight evaluable patients with acute leukemia were treated with M itoxantrone (DHAD) according to two schedules: 14 mg/M2 as a single I. V. pulse dose administered three-week intervals, and 4 mg/M2/day for f ive days every three weeks. Six of 58 patients achieved a complete rem ission. One complete remission and 1 partial remission were observed a mong 26 patients treated with the single pulse schedule. Five (16%) co mplete remissions were attained among 32 patients treated on the daily x 5 schedule. Responses were observed only in patients with non-lymph oblastic leukemia. DHAD was very well tolerated with myelosuppression as the major toxicity. Nausea and vomiting were minimal. Subclinical c ardiac toxicity occurred in two patients. This was identified by seria l reductions in cardiac ejection fractions. DHAD appears to have signi ficant activity in acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia with minimal toxic ity.