AMSA--a promising new agent in refractory acute leukemia.

Forty-five patients with various forms of acute leukemia refractory to usual methods of treatment were treated with AMSA at doses of 100-200 mg/m2 iv daily for 5-7 days, for total doses of 500-1000 mg/m2/course. Among 41 evaluable patients, six (15%) achieved complete remissions, including two of 19 patients with typical acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, none of four with atypical acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, two of nine with chronic granulocytic leukemia in blast crisis, two of eight with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and none of one with acute undifferentiated leukemia. Durations of complete remissions were 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 14 weeks. Four of the patients who died with infection during marrow hypoplasia 2-5 weeks after receiving AMSA had no evidence of leukemia on premortem bone marrow aspirates or postmortem examination. The primary toxic effects of AMSA were severe myelosuppression, stomatitis, and alopecia. One incident of life-threatening liver failure occurred. AMSA appears to be a promising agent for use in heavily pretreated patients with acute leukemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia in blast crisis.