Treatment of refractory leukemia with high-dose cytosine arabinoside.

Thirteen patients with refractory acute nonlymphocytic leukemia or with accelerated phase of chronic myeloid leukemia have been treated with high dose of cytosine arabinoside (Alcysten, Spofa). The drug was administered in doses of 3 g/m2/day. Six of 10 evaluable patients responded to the therapy. The mean duration of complete remission, achieved in 3 patients, was 18 weeks. The duration of partial remission ranged from 5 to 11 weeks. The treatment was well tolerated. Apart from expected hematological toxicity, transitory nausea and vomiting were the most frequently encountered side effects.