Oral arsenic trioxide for relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia in pediatric patients†
Conflict of interests: Dr. Y.L. Kwong and G.C.F. Chan are employers of the University of Hong Kong. The University of Hong Kong holds a temporary patent for the use of oral arsenic trioxide in hematological malignancies.
Abstract
Four patients (age 3–11 years at diagnosis) with relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), 12–38 months from diagnosis, were treated with oral arsenic trioxide (As2O3). One patient was treated with oral As2O3 monotherapy and chemotherapy. Three patients failed initial oral or intravenous As2O3 monotherapy were treated with oral As2O3 plus ATRA followed by long-term oral maintenance (cumulative As2O3 dose 280–2,100 mg). All patients achieved molecular remission, at a median follow up of 122 (10–132) months with no adverse effects. Oral As2O3, particularly in prolonged maintenance with oral ATRA may obviate the need of stem cell transplantation in relapsed pediatric APL. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 58: 630–632. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
