ChemotherapyFDA-approvedSecond-line
Cytarabine
How it works
Interferes with DNA replication, causing cancer cells to die.
Cancer types
Leukemia— All patients
Efficacy
Studies show that cytarabine can induce complete remission in around 40% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia, with a median overall survival of approximately 2 years.
Side effects
Severe
This treatment carries a higher risk of serious side effects. Close medical monitoring is required throughout treatment.
Evidence from research
| Study | Cancer type | Stage | Efficacy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing Epigenetic Priming in Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients | Leukemia | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Testing a New Treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome | Leukemia | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Testing Imetelstat with Fludarabine and Cytarabine for Leukemia and Blood Disorders | Leukemia | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Testing L-Annamycin for Treating Refractory/Relapsed AML | Leukemia | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Testing Different Doses of Cytarabine for Acute Myeloid Leukemia | Leukemia | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| New Cancer Treatment Combination Shows Promise Against Leukemia | Leukemia | lab-study | The triple CAV combination exerted a far stronger inhibitory effect than any single agent or dual-drug combination (p < 0.01) and showed synergistic interactions (combination index <1). | Source → |
| Testing New Treatments for Young Adults with Intermediate Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia | Leukemia | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Exosomes may help leukemia cells resist chemotherapy | Leukemia | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Combining Chidamide and Cytarabine May Help Treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia | Leukemia | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Combining Chemotherapy May Improve Leukemia Outcomes | Leukemia | phase-3 | IDAC-plus significantly improved relapse-free survival (RFS) compared to IDAC monotherapy (HR 0.62, p=0.019). | Source → |
| Combining Metformin, Chloroquine, and Cytarabine May Improve Leukemia Treatment | Leukemia | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Iron Overload May Contribute to Leukemia Resistance to Chemotherapy | Leukemia | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Chemotherapy's Role in Low-Risk Leukaemia Treatment | Leukemia | observational | The 5-year relapse-free survival was 88.145% in the anthracyclines/cytarabine treatment group compared to 98.113% in the same group. | Source → |
This information is provided for general education only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.