Blood, 1958, Vol. 13, No. 8, pp. 705-724.
© 1958 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Clinical Evaluation of 6-Chloropurine in
Leukemia of Adults
ROSE RUTH ELLISON 1,
DAVID A. KARNOFSKY 1, and
JOSEPH H. BURCHENAL 1
1 Division of Clinical Chemotherapy, Sloan-Kettering Institute; Chemotherapy
Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial and James Ewing Hospitals; and Department
of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, N. Y.
1. 6-Chloropurine, an analogue of 6-mercaptopurine, has been shown to
produce complete remissions in three and partial remissions in eight of 30
adults with acute leukemia. No beneficial effects were obtained in four additional patients known to be resistant to 6-mercaptopurine.
2. Three of four patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia responded to
6-chloropurine.
3. Slight objective improvement was noted in patients with lymphomas
but only at the point of hematologic toxicity.
4. A high incidence of jaundice was noted, but it is difficult to relate
this definitely to the therapy.
5. While 6-chloropurine appears to be slightly superior to 6-mercaptopurine in acute leukemia in adults, the pattern of response would indicate
that these agents have a similar mechanism and range of therapeutic activity.
Submitted on November 5, 1957
Accepted on January 15, 1958
