Etoposide in combination with low-dose CAG (cytarabine, aclarubicin, G-CSF) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia: A multicenter, randomized control trial in southwest China

In a well-controlled multi-center randomized trial in southwestern China, 228 patients with refractory or relapsed AML were received a low-dose CAG regimen either with etoposide (E-CAG) or without etoposide (CAG). The complete remission (CR) rate, overall survival (OS) and toxicity were evaluated. Patients with E-CAG had a higher CR rate (71.1% vs. CAG 50.9%, P = 0.0002). The tolerability appeared to be equivalent. Patients with CR who underwent allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) had a higher five-year OS over those without allo-HSCT (73.8% vs. 10.8%, P = 0.000). The E-CAG regimen is expected to become a bridge between relapsed or refractory AML and allo-HSCT.