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Biomedical subjects

G R Liang

Publications and source records attributed to G R Liang.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Small-dose Harringtonine induces complete remission in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Small-dose Harringtonine (1-3 mg infused during 4-5 hr) was used as a single agent to treat 10 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Every patient received one to three courses, each lasting 13-81 days (mean 33 days). The interval between courses (i.e., interruptions) was 5-11 days. During treatment, marrow aplasia occurred in one patient and hypoplasia in three. Pancytopenia occurred in all 10 patients. Complete remission was achieved in seven patients (70%) and cytoreduction in two. In vitro studies showed that, although Harringtonine produced a decrease in leukemic cells in all five series of marrow cultures from five patients, there was only one wherein the decrease was accompanied by a simultaneous absolute increase in differentiated myeloid cells. Considerable discrepancy existed between the culture results and clinical responses. These results seem to suggest that the therapeutic effect of Harringtonine on acute promyelocytic leukemia originates chiefly from cytotoxicity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Low-dose Ara-C can cause complete remission of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia: differentiation induction?

Fourteen patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia were treated with low-dose arabinosylcytosine (LDAC). Thirteen patients received subcutaneous injections at a dose of 10 mg/M2 every 12 h. One patient received 25 mg intramuscularly daily. All cases received one to three courses with each course lasting 10-60 days (median 19). Complete remission was achieved in 6 (or 43%) of the patients. Three patients had only cytoreduction and 5 patients did not respond. During the therapy severe thrombocytopenia occurred in all patients while prominent other cytopenias occurred in 10. Two-thirds of the patients achieving a remission had significant myelosuppression. There was one treatment-related death. During therapy 11 patients demonstrated a decrease in leukemia cells with an associated increase in differentiated granulocytes. This included 3 of the 4 complete remitters, and 3 of the 5 nonresponders. These results seem to suggest that the therapeutic effect of low-dose Ara-C may result from a combination of differentiation induction, cytotoxicity and unusual sensitivity of the leukemic cells to this agent.

Acute Disease↗