A multi-center open-labeled study of recombinant erythropoietin-beta in the treatment of anemic patients with multiple myeloma, low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, or chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Chinese population.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of recombinant erythropoietin-beta in the treatment of anemic patients with multiple myeloma (MM), low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). From December 2005 to November 2006, the patients with MM, low-grade NHL, and CLL were enrolled in this study, male or female, aged > or = 18 years, transfusion-dependant, and receiving anti-neoplasia chemotherapy. Recombinant human erythropoietin-beta was used in this study with the dose initiated at 150 IU/kg, thrice a week, subcutaneously. The total treatment duration was 12 weeks. The primary endpoint of the study is response rate (RR), which is defined as hemoglobin increasing > or = 2 g/dL comparing to baseline level, or returning to normal range, without any transfusion within 6 weeks of evaluation. Fifty out of 82 (64.6%) patients enrolled in this study responded to the treatment and 29 patients had no response. Hypertension (12.2%) is the most common adverse effect; however, all the adverse events were mild, categorized in NCI grade I or II. We conclude that recombinant erythropoietin-beta was effective in the treatment of anemia of the patients with MM, NHL, and CLL, as well as it is well-tolerated.

A survival study and prognostic factors analysis on acute promyelocytic leukemia at a single center.

This study was aimed to investigate the factors influencing long-term survival on patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Here, we present a single center retrospective study with long-term follow-up to explore the prognostic factors and a rationale of the using of ATRA, chemotherapy and As(2)O(3) in the treatment of newly diagnosed APL patients. In total, 222 patients, 184 achieved complete remission (CR) with the CR rate of 82.88% and 22 patients died during early induction therapy with the early-death-rate of 10%. Total 171 newly diagnosed APL patients entering CR were retrospectively analyzed from November 1989 to December 2004,with a median follow-up of 36 months (6-185 months). Univariate and multivariate analysis of eight factors potentially influencing survival and prognosis were carried out with Log-Rank and Cox regression method, including sex, age, initial WBC count, the level of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), first induction regimen, days from induction therapy to CR, post-remission therapy and the status of PML-RAR alpha fusion gene by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that the estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were 80.9+/-4.0 and 71.0+/-4.0%, respectively. Univariate analyses showed that initial WBC count, first induction regimen, days from induction therapy to CR, post-remission therapy regimen and the status of PML-RAR alpha in remission were important prognostic factors for long-term survival. Multivariate study showed that only post-remission therapy regimen was associated with RFS and OS. It is concluded that the post-remission treatment combining ATRA, As(2)O(3) and chemotherapy would significantly improve the long-term survival of APL patients achieving CR(1).