Differentiating agents / Arsenic trioxide
DIFFERENTIATING AGENTS
ARSENIC TRIOXIDE (ATO)
-
heavy metal toxin that promotes cell death through both apoptosis and necrosis
- given in conjunction with TRETINOIN to cause death of differentiated granulocytes
- also approved for relapsed APL (complete responses in 85% of patients)
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generally well tolerated, but toxicities include:
- arrhythmias (prolongation of QT interval)
- leukocyte maturation syndrome similar to differentiation syndrome