Amifostine has the potential to induce haematologic responses and decelerate disease progression in individual patients with low- and intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

Schanz, Julie; Jung, Heike; Wörmann, Bernhard; Gassmann, Winfried; Petersen, Thomas; Hinke, Axel; Haase, Detlef

doi:10.1016/j.leukres.2009.03.027

« Previous Next »Leukemia Research
Volume 33, Issue 9 , Pages 1183-1188, September 2009

Amifostine has the potential to induce haematologic responses and decelerate disease progression in individual patients with low- and intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

Julie Schanz
- Georg-August-University, Department of Haematology and Oncology, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 551398535; fax: +49 551398587.
Heike Jung
- Georg-August-University, Department of Haematology and Oncology, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
Bernhard Wörmann
- Klinikum Braunschweig, Medizinische Klinik III, Celler Straße 38, 38114 Braunschweig, Germany
Winfried Gassmann
- Marien-Hospital, Medizinische Klinik III, Kampenstraße 51, 57072 Siegen, Germany
Thomas Petersen
- Klinikum Braunschweig, Medizinische Klinik III, Celler Straße 38, 38114 Braunschweig, Germany
Axel Hinke
- WiSP GmbH, Karl-Benz-Str. 1, 40764 Langenfeld, Germany
Detlef Haase
- Georg-August-University, Department of Haematology and Oncology, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany

Received 6 May 2008; received in revised form 3 March 2009; accepted 20 March 2009. published online 07 March 2011.

Abstract

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by hypercellular bone marrow, peripheral cytopenia and an increased rate of intramedullary apoptosis. Oxidative stress is known as an important factor that leads to apoptosis in MDS. Thus, amifostine was investigated in a randomized, multicentre phase II-study (n=44 pts.; 22 amifostine, 22 best supportive care). We found an overall haematologic response rate of 18%. One patient developed a complete and persisting haematologic remission. Haematologic progression rate was 46% in the treatment group and 64% in the control group. We conclude that amifostine has the potential to induce haematologic response in individual patients suffering from MDS.