Therapeutic effects of fludarabine-cyclophosphamide combined therapy in Iranian patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of fludarabine-cyclophosphamide combination in treatment of Iranian patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Between April 2011 and July 2013, 20 patients with B-CLL (median age 63 years) received a regimen that consisted of fludarabine 25 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 250 mg/m2, days 1-3, orally, every 4 weeks, for a maximum of 6 courses. Clinical appearances and percentage of CD5+/CD19+ cells as minimal residual disease detected by flow cytometry before and 6 months after treatment. The frequency of CD5+, CD5+/CD19+ and CD19+-cells were significantly high (70-90 %) in the peripheral blood of all the patients, before treatment. The percentage of CD2 and CD3+-cells were significantly increased after treatment (p<0.0001). There were significantly different in the percentage of CD5+/CD19+-cells before (68±26) and after (35±23) treatment (p=0.001). Also, the clinical features were modulated after treatment. The results showed that combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide could be helpful in treatment of B-CLL in Iranian patients.