Intravenous Low-Dose Decitabine Versus Supportive Care in Elderly Patients With Primary Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) (>10% Blasts or High-Risk Cytogenetics), Secondary MDS or Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML) Who Are Not Eligible for Intensive Therapy: An EORTC-German MDS Study Group Randomized Phase III Study

OBJECTIVES:

• Compare the efficacy of low-dose decitabine vs standard supportive care, in terms of overall survival, of elderly patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.
• Compare the response rate and progression-free survival of patients treated with these regimens.
• Determine the toxicity of decitabine in these patients.
• Assess the duration of hospitalization and number of blood transfusions in patients treated with these regimens.
• Assess the quality of life of patients treated with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, open-label, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to cytogenetic risk factors (good vs poor vs intermediate vs unknown), disease (primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) vs secondary MDS), and participating center. Patients with a successful cytogenetic exam are also stratified according to overall International Prognostic Scoring System score (intermediate 1 vs intermediate 2 vs high risk). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Arm I: Patients receive decitabine IV over 4 hours every 8 hours for 3 days. Treatment repeats every 6 weeks for 4-8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
• Arm II: Patients receive standard supportive care. Quality of life is assessed at baseline, every 6 weeks during therapy, every 2 months for 1 year, and then every 3 months thereafter.

Patients are followed every 2 months for 1 year and then every 3 months thereafter.