Efficacy of low-dose cytarabine and aclarubicin in combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (CAG regimen) compared to Hyper-CVAD regimen as salvage chemotherapy in relapsed/refractory Philadelphia chromosome-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

We treated 90 relapsed/refractory Philadelphia chromosome-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph(-)-ALL) patients with CAG regimen [cytarabine (10mg/m(2)/12h, days 1-14), aclarubicin (5-7 mg/m(2)/day, days 1-8), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (200 μg/m(2)/day, days 1-14)], 82 relapsed/refractory Ph(-)-ALL patients were treated with increasing aclarubicin dose CAG (5-7 mg/m(2)/day, days 1-14, HD-CAG). 96 relapsed/refractory Ph(-)-ALL patients treated with Hyper-CVAD regimen (control group). After one therapy course, among all groups, there were no statistically significant differences with complete remission (CR) and overall response [OR, CR+partial remission (PR)] rates (P>0.05). In CAG group, CR and OR rates for T-ALL exceeded those for B-ALL (P=0.001, 0.007), while in HD-CAG and control groups, those were not statistically significantly different (P>0.05). CR and OR rates of CAG group for B-ALL were lower than control group (P=0.004, 0.012). Among all groups, there were no statistically significant differences with CR and OR rates for T-ALL (P>0.05). CAG had lesser adverse event than Hyper-CVAD. The overall survival at 3 years for all groups were similar. Efficacy of CAG regimen was similar in comparison to Hyper-CVAD for relapsed/refractory Ph(-)-T-ALL. HD-CAG could not improve efficacy than CAG regimen.