PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To determine the complete response rate including morphologic complete remission (CR) and morphologic complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi) as defined by the International Working Group Criteria.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To determine CR + CRi duration, event free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), patients successfully proceeding to allogenic hematopoietic cell transplant, and adverse events (AE).
OUTLINE:
INDUCTION: Patients receive liposome-encapsulated daunorubicin-cytarabine intravenously (IV) over 90 minutes on days 1, 3, and 5 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
RE-INDUCTION: Patients who do not achieve remission receive liposome-encapsulated daunorubicin-cytarabine IV over 90 minutes on days 1 and 3 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
CONSOLIDATION: Beginning 5-8 weeks after the start of the last induction, patients who achieve CR receive liposome-encapsulated daunorubicin-cytarabine IV over 90 minutes on days 1 and 3. Treatment repeats every 45 days for up to 2 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30 days, and then every 3 months for up to 5 years.