A Phase III Study for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) Using Arsenic Trioxide and All-Trans Retinoic Acid

This phase III trial studies tretinoin and arsenic trioxide in treating patients with newly
diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia. Standard treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia
involves high doses of a common class of chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines, which are
known to cause long-term side effects, especially to the heart. Tretinoin may stop the growth
of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Arsenic trioxide may
stop the growth of cancer cells by either killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing,
or by stopping them from spreading. Completely removing or reducing the amount of
anthracycline chemotherapy and giving tretinoin together with arsenic trioxide may be an
effective treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia and may reduce some of the long-term
side effects.