[Atrophy of the granular layer of the cerebellar cortex in patients with nonlymphoblastic leukemia treated with cytosine arabinoside].

The reported analysis comprised 81 patients dying of acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia type M1, M2, M4 and blastic crises in chronic myelocytic leukaemia. It was observed that the number of cases of cerebellar granular layer atrophy rose markedly in the years 1984-1990 as compared with 1976-1983 (45.4% vs 16.2%). It is suggested that this was due to the introduction of cytostatic treatment schedules with higher doses of cytosine arabinoside (ARAC), especially TAD (6-thioguanine, ARAC, daunorubicin). Cerebellar granular layer atrophy seems to be dependent rather on the cumulative dose of ARAC and not on a single high dose of that drug.