decitabine + cytarabine + aclarubicin + granulocyte colony-stimulating factor

DCAG-Lite is a modified, low-dose chemotherapy regimen designed for the treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are often unable to tolerate intensive induction therapy. The regimen is a combination of four agents: the hypomethylating agent decitabine, the antimetabolite cytarabine, the anthracycline aclarubicin (also known as aclacinomycin), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). The "Lite" version typically involves reduced dosages or altered schedules compared to the standard DCAG regimen to minimize toxicity while maintaining therapeutic efficacy. Decitabine works by inhibiting DNA methyltransferases, leading to the reactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Cytarabine and aclarubicin act as cytotoxic agents that interfere with DNA synthesis and topoisomerase II activity, respectively. G-CSF is included to prime leukemic blasts, making them more susceptible to the chemotherapy agents, and to accelerate the recovery of neutrophils, thereby reducing the risk of infection.

Other names

DCAG-Lite regimenmodified DCAGdecitabine + cytarabine + aclacinomycin + G-CSF