Different patterns of remission in acute myelocytic leukemia. A comparison of the effects of methyl-glyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone and 6-mercaptopurine.

‘ iI ETHYL-GLYOXAL-BIS-GUANYLHYDRAZONE (methyl GAG) is a I VI new chemotherapeutic agent synthesized and reported in 1958 to have anti-tumor activity against mouse leukemia L1210.2 It has also been shown to be active against acute myelocytic leukemia in man. This compound has induced complete hematologic remission in 11 of 20 consecutive patients with acute myelocytic leukemia treated at the National Cancer Institute.3’4 Of these 11 patients, seven underwent a second course of treatment with methyl GAG after relapse; two of the patients achieved a second complete remission. Preliminary observations of the hematologic material from these patients suggested that the morphologic characteristics cf the remissions were unique. Further detailed comparison of data from patients treated with methyl GAG with that of patients treated with 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) revealed different patterns of hematologic remission in the two groups.