Treatment of refractory hematologic malignancies by combination of cytarabine ocfosfate and etoposide

: We attempted a combination chemotherapy with cytarabine ocfosfate (SPAC) and etoposide for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia developing after a prior history of MDS (MDS/ANLL). SPAC and etoposide were administered orally at the dose of 200 mg/day and 25 mg/day for 14 days, as standard regimen. Two cases complete remission (CR), 4 of partial remission (PR) were obtained among 9 patients. The plasma concentration of cytarabine (Ara-C) reached a plateau at around 4.5 ng/ml during the treatment period from the 7th to the 14th day, and it was detectable with a gradual decrease until the 28th day in spite of the last administration of SPAC on the 14th day. It is suggested that this combination chemotherapy is useful against MDS, MDS/ANLL and other resistant leukemia, especially in elderly patients who can not be treated by intensive combination chemotherapy.