Early intensification and short‐term maintenance chemotherapy does not prolong survival in acute myelogenous leukemia

Forty‐one previously untreated patients with a diagnosis of acute myclogenous leukemia (AML) were entered on. A study using early intensification followed by a short‐term maintenance chemotherapy. Induction and early intensification consisted of three to four cycles of doxorubicin, vincristine, cytosine arabinoside (Ara‐C) and prednisone.(ADOAP) in escalating dosages. Maintenance therapy used three cycles of Ara‐C and thioguanine (AT), followed by three cycles of cyclophosphamide and rubidazone with vincristine and prednisone (CROP). Median total duration of therapy was 9 months. The overall complete remission (CR) rate was 73%. Tolerance to chemotherapy and dose escalation were better for patients who received their induction and early intensification in the protected environment. The overall median survival was 75 weeks. Compared to a historical control group treated with long‐term maintenance chemotherapy, patients achieving CR on the current study had similar median remission (52 versus 65 weeks; P = 0.3) and survival durations (94 versus 98 weeks). This regimen using early intensification and short‐term maintenance chemotherapy did not improve the overall prognosis of this AML population.