CAG regimen

The CAG regimen is a low-dose combination chemotherapy protocol consisting of cytarabine, aclarubicin (also known as aclacinomycin), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). It is primarily utilized in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), particularly in elderly patients, those with low proliferative leukemia, or as a pre-transplantation debulking strategy. Cytarabine acts as a nucleoside analog that inhibits DNA polymerase and interferes with DNA synthesis. Aclarubicin is an anthracycline that inhibits topoisomerase II and intercalates into DNA. The inclusion of G-CSF serves a dual purpose: it promotes hematopoietic recovery and 'primes' quiescent leukemic blasts by inducing them into the S-phase of the cell cycle, thereby increasing their sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of cytarabine. This specific regimen is being evaluated by Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, as a pre-conditioning treatment for patients with high-risk MDS (RAEB-1/2) and secondary AML undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Other names

CAG chemotherapyCAG protocolCytarabine + Aclarubicin + G-CSFchemotherapy regimen-Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University-myelodysplastic syndrome-acute myeloid leukemia