X Hu1, L Ma, N Hu. 1. Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of TCM, Beijing, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To obtain further knowledge on the effect, mechanism and toxic side-effect of Ailing No. I (AL), a preparation of As2O3, in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). METHODS: AL was used in induction and consolidation treatment of 62 cases of APL, the effect of treatment and the changes of clinical symptoms, peripheral blood and bone marrow pictures, T-lymphocyte subset, and immunofunctions of patients after treatment were observed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven cases out of the 31 patients who received induction treatment got complete remission (CR), the CR rate being 87.1%. Of the 31 cases who received consolidation treatment, the longest remission period was 37 months, and 7 cases relapsed within one month to 2 years. Peripheral white blood cell count raised after one week but lowered after 4 weeks of induction treatment, but in receiving consolidation treatment, it started to lower after one week and raised after 4 weeks of treatment. No obvious change on hemoglobin level was observed. Platelet count significantly increased after treatment. The treatment showed no obvious inhibition on bone marrow. The T-lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin level were changed insignificantly after treatment. Various side-effects were shown clinically, particularly those digestive tract involved symptoms were prominent, and liver damage was shown in a certain degree. CONCLUSION: AL has good and protracted effect in treating APL with high CR rate, the mechanism may be related with its cytotoxicity and action of differentiation induction.
OBJECTIVE: To obtain further knowledge on the effect, mechanism and toxic side-effect of Ailing No. I (AL), a preparation of As2O3, in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). METHODS:AL was used in induction and consolidation treatment of 62 cases of APL, the effect of treatment and the changes of clinical symptoms, peripheral blood and bone marrow pictures, T-lymphocyte subset, and immunofunctions of patients after treatment were observed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven cases out of the 31 patients who received induction treatment got complete remission (CR), the CR rate being 87.1%. Of the 31 cases who received consolidation treatment, the longest remission period was 37 months, and 7 cases relapsed within one month to 2 years. Peripheral white blood cell count raised after one week but lowered after 4 weeks of induction treatment, but in receiving consolidation treatment, it started to lower after one week and raised after 4 weeks of treatment. No obvious change on hemoglobin level was observed. Platelet count significantly increased after treatment. The treatment showed no obvious inhibition on bone marrow. The T-lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin level were changed insignificantly after treatment. Various side-effects were shown clinically, particularly those digestive tract involved symptoms were prominent, and liver damage was shown in a certain degree. CONCLUSION:AL has good and protracted effect in treating APL with high CR rate, the mechanism may be related with its cytotoxicity and action of differentiation induction.