Intensive chemotherapy with daunorubicin, 5-azacytidine, 6-thioguanine, and cytarabine (DATA) for the blastic transformation of chronic granulocytic leukemia.

Thirty patients with blastic transformation of chronic granulocytic leukemia were treated with a combination of daunorubicin, 5-azacytidine, 6-thioguanine, and cytarabine. Hematopoietic toxic effects were substantial and eight of 23 patients developed hepatic dysfunction (bilirubin greater than 5.5 mg/dl). Although the regimen resulted in marked decrease in peripheral blood blast cells and produced marrow hypoplasia in most of the patients (20 of 23), there was little therapeutic benefit. Seven patients died while aplastic, nine had recurrence of blastic leukemia, and only four had partial improvement in marrow function.