Refractory leukemias are a group of such leukemias:
- Not effective after 2 courses of chemotherapy with standard regimens;
- Rapid relapse (within 12 months) after complete remission;
- Relapses that are not rapid (>12 months) but have failed after conventional chemotherapy;
- 2 or more relapses;
- Persistent with chemotherapy after leukemic invasion of organs other than bone marrow.
Refractory leukemia has a poor prognosis and develops primarily because leukemic cells become resistant to chemotherapeutic agents. Current treatment strategies for refractory leukemia include combination chemotherapy regimens consisting of new drugs without cross-resistance, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and novel targeted therapeutic agents and biologic therapies.
Dr. Xin Li, Department of Hematology, Shanghai Renji Hospital South Hospital, also contributed to this Q&A