Influence of small doses cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) on leukemic cells in vitro and in vivo. Results in patients with leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.

The authors reviewed the literature concerned with the action of low dose Ara-C on MDS and some forms of AL and demonstrated their own results in vitro and in vivo. In vitro bone marrow blast cells short-term liquid culture were performed with and without addition of low dose Ara-C. After 5 days culture morphological and also cytochemical changes could be observed often inconsistent with the original cellular type. In vivo 8 patients suffering from AL or MDS were treated with low dose Ara-C and among them marked improvement in 3 cases only was observed.