Treatment of patients with advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia with interferon-alpha-2b and continuous oral cytarabine ocfosfate (YNK01): a pilot study

Kühr, T; Eisterer, W; Apfelbeck, U; Linkesch, W; Bechter, O; Zabernigg, A; Geissler, K; Barbieri, G; Duba, C; Gastl, G; Thaler, J

« Previous Next »Leukemia Research
Volume 24, Issue 7 , Pages 583-587, July 2000

Treatment of patients with advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia with interferon-alpha-2b and continuous oral cytarabine ocfosfate (YNK01):

a pilot study

T Kühr
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +43-512-5043333
W Eisterer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
U Apfelbeck
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Graz, Austria
W Linkesch
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Graz, Austria
O Bechter
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
A Zabernigg
- Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital, Kufstein, Austria
K Geissler
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Vienna, Austria
G Barbieri
- Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital, St. Pölten, Austria
C Duba
- Department of Medical Biology and Human Genetics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
G Gastl
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
J Thaler
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Received 11 February 2000; accepted 3 March 2000.

Abstract

The efficacy of continuous oral cytarabine ocfosfate (YNK01) (300 mg/day) in combination with interferon alpha (IFNα, 5×10⁶ IU/day) was evaluated in patients with advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia, who previously failed to respond to IFNα-based therapies. Dose escalations up to 900 mg YNK01 were allowed in patients who failed to respond. In view of our results, four patients developed a complete hematological response after YNK01 was started. Among those who initially responded to YNK01, one complete cytogenetic response was achieved 18 months later. Although the data are preliminary, this is the first study showing that continuous administration of YNK01 along with IFNα is effective in patients with advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Keywords: Chronic myelogenous leukemia, Interferon-α, Continuous cytarabine ocfosfate, Cytogenetic response, Toxicity

Abbreviations: ara-C, cytosine arabinoside, CCR, complete cytogenetic response, CHR, complete hematological response, CML, chronic myelogenous leukemia, IFNα, interferon alpha, IU, international units, MCR, major cytogenetic response, PHR, partial hematological response, YNK01, cytarabine ocfosfate