decitabine + daunorubicin + cytarabine + etoposide

This is a **chemotherapy combination** comprising decitabine, daunorubicin, cytarabine, and etoposide, used for the treatment of hematological malignancies, primarily *acute myeloid leukemia* (AML). Decitabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analogue that acts as a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, inducing hypomethylation and modulating gene expression[5]. Daunorubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic that intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, leading to DNA strand breaks and apoptosis. Cytarabine is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits DNA polymerase, impairing DNA synthesis, while etoposide is a topoisomerase II inhibitor causing DNA damage and cell cycle arrest. The combination leverages multiple mechanisms to target rapidly dividing leukemic cells in AML, particularly in regimens developed for induction therapy, and is sometimes used for patients with high-risk or refractory disease[2][3][7].