Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: long-lasting remission with combination of cyclophosphamide, somatostatin, bromocriptine, retinoids, melatonin, and ACTH

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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: long-lasting remission with combination of

cyclophosphamide, somatostatin, bromocriptine, retinoids, melatonin, and ACTH.

M Todisco

Cancer Biother Radiopharm, June 1, 2009; 24(3): 353-5.

Department of Medical Assistance Continuity, Asur Marche ZT 11, Grottama?e,

Italy. maurotodisco@...

The usual, initial therapy of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

involves alkylating agents, corticosteroids, purine analogs, and monoclonal

antibodies. The combination of these agents may lead to high complete and

overall response rates, but all patients inevitably relapse, and median

progression-free survival varies between 16 and 48 months. Further, these

treatments present the risk of myelosuppression and infection, so that some of

the combination regimens require antibiotic, antiviral, and antimycotic

prophylaxis during and after their administration. We treated 4 patients with

previously untreated progressive stage I Rai CCL, with a combination of

cyclophosphamide, somatostatin, bromocriptine, retinoids, melatonin, and ACTH.

All the patients had partial remission after 2 months and continued treatment,

which was gradually reduced if lymphocyte count fell below 4000/microL. No

patients had disease recurrence, and progression-free survival has not yet been

reached (125, 121, 73, and 21 months, respectively). Toxicity was absent, and

patients underwent the treatment at home, while carrying out their normal

activities.

PMID: 19538058

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