Low Dose Cytosine Arabinoside Therapy in Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Four patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and three withmyelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) were given low dose cytosinearabinoside (Ara-C) therapy. One patient with de novo AML andtwo patients having refractory anemia with excess of blasts(RAEB) achieved responses. Although the responses lasted foronly a short duration (2–3 months), the therapy was welltolerated and not accompanied by severe complications, whilesevere cytopenia was a frequent side effect with transfusionsbeing necessary in most patients. This therapy could be clinicallyeffective for certain types of AML and MDS (especially RAEBand RAEB in transformation).