ChemotherapyFDA-approvedFirst-line
Cytarabine
How it works
Interferes with DNA synthesis, causing cancer cells to die.
Cancer types
Leukemia— All patients
Efficacy
In clinical trials, around 50% of patients achieved a complete remission, with a median overall survival of approximately 20 months.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Combination Therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome | Leukemia | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Testing a Combination of Medications for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia | Leukemia | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Testing Flotetuzumab for Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia | Leukemia | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| 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 Different Doses of Cytarabine for Acute Myeloid Leukemia | Leukemia | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Testing L-Annamycin for Treating Refractory/Relapsed AML | Leukemia | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Testing New Treatments for Young Adults with Intermediate Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia | Leukemia | phase-2 | — | 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 → |
| 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 → |
| Combining two drugs may improve treatment of acute myeloid leukemia | Leukemia | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Cancer Cells May Resist Treatment by Using Exosomes | Leukemia | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Venetoclax Improves Outcomes for AML Patients | Leukemia | phase-3 | A 30% reduction in the risk of death with venetoclax, and median overall survival was 8.4 vs. 4.1 months. | Source → |
| Glasdegib and Cytarabine Combination for Leukemia Treatment | Leukemia | observational | The CR + CRp rate was 21% (6/29) among evaluable patients. | Source → |
| Autophagy Inhibitors May Not Help Leukemia Patients Resistant to Cytarabine | Leukemia | lab-study | The combination of these drugs yielded the highest level of cell death in a panel of patient-derived AML samples. | Source → |
| New Insights into Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment | Leukemia | observational | The overall CR rate was 87.6%, with a significant difference between the standard-dose (79.0%) and intermediate-dose (97.8%) groups. | Source → |
This information is provided for general education only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.