Prednimustine and vincristine compared with cytosine arabinoside and thioguanine for treatment of elderly patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia.

Sixty-seven patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) and above the age of 60 years were randomly allocated to treatment with either prednimustine + vincristine or cycles with cytosine arabinoside and thioguanine. Of the 67 patients, 13 (19%) entered a complete remission and four a partial remission. Of 33 patients randomized to prednimustine and vincristine (15 adequately treated), three entered a complete remission and one a partial remission. Four further patients went into complete remission after a switch to other treatment modalities. Of 34 patients randomized to cycles of ARA-C and thioguanine (22 adequately treated), four entered a complete remission and three a partial remission with the correct program. One patient entered a remission with intermittent cytosine arabinoside + thioguanine (wrong program) and one further patient entered a complete remission after a switch to prednimustine and vincristine. Prednimustine + vincristine did not appear to be superior to treatment with cytosine arabinoside thioguanine cycles for elderly patients with ANLL.