All-trans Retinoic Acid, and Arsenic +/- Idarubicin

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the combination of arsenic trioxide (ATO) with ATRA and possibly idarubicin is effective in treating patients with newly-diagnosed APL.

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and ATO are designed to cause the APL cells to mature and function normally. Idarubicin is designed to cause breaks in both strands of DNA (the genetic material of cells).

If you are found to be eligible to take part in this study, you will begin induction. During induction, you will receive ATRA, by mouth starting on Day 1. You will also receive ATO through a needle in your vein over 2 hours starting on Day 1. You will continue receiving the drugs every day until your bone marrow no longer shows APL cells.

If you had a high white blood cell count at screening, you will receive idarubicin through a needle in your vein over about 30 minutes one dose only on any day of Day 1 through 5.

During induction, blood (about 1-3 tablespoons) will be drawn every day during Week 1, and then 2 times a week after that. This blood will be drawn for routine tests.

During induction (about 21-28 days after beginning treatment), you will have a bone marrow aspirate to check the status of the disease. This may be performed more often if the doctor thinks it is needed.

If you achieve a complete remission during the induction phase, you will continue to the maintenance phase. During the maintenance phase, you will receive ATO by vein over 2 hours Monday-Friday for 4 weeks. After the 4 weeks of receiving the study drug, you will have a 4-week period "off" (when no study drug is given). ATRA is given by mouth every day for 2 weeks. This 2 weeks is followed by 2 additional weeks when no study drug will be given. You will continue to take ATRA until treatment with ATO is complete.

During maintenance, blood (about 1-3 tablespoons) will be drawn before every 4-week cycle of ATO, and then every week for routine tests. You will also have an ECG before every 4 week cycle when you take ATO.

If you do not achieve a complete remission during induction you will be taken off study.

If at any point during the study your white blood cell count rises above 10,000, you will receive idarubicin by vein over 30 minutes.

You will remain in the hospital for about the first 7 days of induction. After that, you must remain in Houston for the next 3-4 weeks. Once in the maintenance phase, you may be treated at home, but must return to M. D. Anderson for study visits.

After maintenance is complete, you will have follow-up visits for an additional 2 years. If at any time during the active study or follow-up the disease gets worse or intolerable side effects occur, you will be taken off the study.

If you had a low or high white blood cell count when you joined the study, you will have follow-up visits every 3 months for 2 years. At these visits, blood (about 1 tablespoon) will be drawn for routine tests and you will have a bone marrow aspirate.

This is an investigational study. Idarubicin, ATRA and ATO are FDA approved and commercially available. However, their use in this study and in this combination is considered investigational. Its use in APL patients is investigational. Up to 80 patients will take part in this multicenter study. All will be enrolled at M. D. Anderson.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. A diagnosis of APL based on the presence of the PML-RAR alpha fusion gene by cytogenetics, PCR, or POD test.
2. Provision of written informed consent.
3. Patients in whom therapy for APL was initiated on an emergent basis are eligible

Exclusion Criteria:

1. First trimester of pregnancy (ATRA is teratogenic)
2. Corrected QT (QTC) interval must not be greater than 480 milliseconds.