Elihu Estey

Use of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) in the treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia: The M. D. Anderson experience

Approximately 20–30% of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) who are treated with all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and an anthracycline develop recurrent disease. It has been reported that arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is effective in this setting. The authors report the experience of The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center with As2O3 in the treatment of patients with recurrent APL.

Results of intensive chemotherapy in 998 patients age 65 years or older with acute myeloid leukemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome: predictive prognostic models for outcome.

Elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) generally have a poor prognosis. AML‐type therapy results are often derived from studies in younger patients and may not apply to elderly AML. Many investigators and oncologists advocate, at times, only supportive care or frontline single agents, Phase I–II studies, low‐intensity regimens, or ‘targeted’ therapies. However, baseline expectations for outcomes of elderly AML with ‘standard’ AML‐type therapy are not well defined. The aim was to develop prognostic models for complete response (CR), induction (8‐week) mortality, and survival rates in elderly AML, which would be used to advise oncologists and patients of expectations with standard AML type therapy, and to establish baseline therapy results against which novel strategies would be evaluated.

Cognitive impairment, fatigue, and cytokine levels in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome

The objective of the current study was to assess the correlations between cognitive function, fatigue, quality of life, and circulating cytokine levels in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Long-term follow-up results of the combination of topotecan and cytarabine and other intensive chemotherapy regimens in myelodysplastic syndrome

Progressive or higher‐risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is often treated with intensive chemotherapy regimens used for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Patients with MDS are often older and may have contraindications to anthracycline‐based regimens. Topotecan‐cytarabine regimens have shown encouraging results in higher‐risk MDS. The aim of this study was to analyze the long‐term results with topotecan‐cytarabine versus other intensive chemotherapy regimens in higher‐risk MDS.

Liposomal amphotericin B versus the combination of fluconazole and itraconazole as prophylaxis for invasive fungal infections during induction chemotherapy for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.

Fungal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing induction chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The authors evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of liposomal amphotericin B (L‐AmB) compared with a combination of fluconazole plus itraconazole (F+I) as prophylaxis in this setting.

Impact of Age on Outcome of Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia A Report from 2 Institutions

The prognostic significance of age among pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was investigated.

Clinical significance of plasma endostatin in acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome

Endostatin, a C‐terminal fragment of collagen XVIII, is an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor. While endostatin is being investigated for its usefulness in treating solid tumors, its significance in hematologic malignancies is unknown.

Proteomic-based prediction of clinical behavior in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia†

Response in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can be achieved in a majority of patients. However, unlike pediatric ALL, recurrence is common in adult ALL, and the ability to predict at an early stage which patients are most likely to experience recurrence may help in devising new therapeutic approaches to prevent recurrence.

Telomerase activity is prognostic in pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia: comparison with adult acute myeloid leukemia.

Significantly elevated telomerase activity (TA) has been found in samples from patients with almost all malignant hematologic diseases. The impact of elevated TA on the course of pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia (P‐AML) is unknown.

The prognostic significance of bone marrow levels of neurofibromatosis-1 protein and ras oncogene mutations in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome

It has been reported that point mutations of the ras gene occur frequently in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). However, the prognostic significance of ras gene mutations in patients with these disorders has been a controversial issue. Although abnormalities in the neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) gene, which is a gene involved in the ras pathway, have been observed frequently in patients with juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia, the role of these abnormalities in adult patients with AML or MDS is not clear.