[Complete remission obtained in refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia using high-dose cytosine arabinoside combined with low-dose L-asparaginase].

A 41-year-old male was diagnosed as acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in November, 1982 and partial remission was obtained by a combination chemotherapy of LVP, DVP ABOP and VAMP. In January, 1983, peripheral blood showed an increasing number of leukemic cells and he was readmitted to our hospital. WBC count in the peripheral blood was 13,200/mm3 and an 82% ratio of leukemic cells was observed. Bone marrow aspiration showed a hypercellularity of 89.4% leukemic cells. High-dose Ara-C therapy was started at a dose of 3 g/m2 i.v. every 12 hours for 6 days. Leukemic cells in peripheral blood were rapidly decreased in number, and the nucleated cell count of bone marrow was also reduced after 3 weeks of treatment, however 95% of leukemic cells remained. Low-dose L-asparaginase was then supplemented at a dose of 2000 U for 3 days, and 2 months later complete remission was achieved. The side effects associated with this high-dose Ara-C therapy were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and conjunctivitis, although these were tolerable. These observations suggest that high-dose Ara-C combined with L-asparaginase should be added to the treatment of leukemia which is refractory to conventional chemotherapy.