Twenty patients with advanced acute leukemia (16 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), three myeloid blast crisis (BC) of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), one acute lymphatic leukemia) were treated with a peroral regimen consisting of etoposide 80 mg/m2 and 6-thioguanine 100 mg/m2 twice daily for 5 days, and idarubicin 15 mg/m2 once daily for 3 days (ETI). Two AML patients were in first relapse. All the other patients with acute leukemia had a later relapse or were refractory to primary or salvage treatment. One to six ETI cycles were given. Four AML patients achieved remission and one patient with BC of CML entered the second chronic phase. Clearing of the blood of leukemic cells was seen in seven additional patients. Infection was the most common complication, gastrointestinal toxicity was not a major problem. In conclusion, peroral ETI treatment has a marked antileukemic effect even in an advanced disease, and the toxicity is moderate and well acceptable.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Magnetic resonance imaging is superior to computed tomography and ultrasonography in imaging infectious liver foci in acute leukaemia.

We conducted a prospective study in order to compare ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the detection of liver foci in patients with acute leukaemia and clinical suspicion of hepatic candidiasis. 28 adult patients fulfilling set entry criteria after recovery from neutropenia were studied. Lesions in the liver were detected by at least one imaging modality in 21 patients: by ultrasonography in 7 (33% of detected cases), computed tomography in 12 (57%) and by magnetic resonance imaging in 20 patients (95%). Magnetic resonance imaging was significantly more sensitive than ultrasonography (p<0.001) and computed tomography (p<0.02). The difference between computed tomography and ultrasonography was not statistically significant (p=0.1). Invasive procedures performed in 10 patients provided definite proof of candidiasis in 5 patients, and nodes on the liver surface, compatible with yeast infection, were seen during laparoscopy in 3 other patients without proof of fungal infection. We confirm that magnetic resonance imaging is superior to ultrasonography and computed tomography in imaging liver foci in leukaemic patients recovering from neutropenia with persistent non-specific signs of infection or hepatic involvement.

Acute Disease↗