Filgrastim, Cladribine, Cytarabine, and Mitoxantrone With Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Newly-Diagnosed, Acute Myeloid Leukemia or High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor \[G-CSF\]), cladribine, cytarabine, and mitoxantrone, when given together with sorafenib and to see how well they work in treating patients with newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (likely to be more aggressive). Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cladribine, cytarabine, and mitoxantrone work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Colony-stimulating factors, such as filgrastim, may increase the production of blood cells and may help the immune system recover from the side effects of chemotherapy. Sorafenib may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving filgrastim, cladribine, cytarabine, and mitoxantrone together with sorafenib may kill more cancer cells.

OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of mitoxantrone and sorafenib followed by a phase II study. INDUCTION: Patients receive mitoxantrone intravenously (IV) over 60 minutes on days 1-3 and sorafenib orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 10-19 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive filgrastim subcutaneously (SC) once daily (QD) on days 0-5, cladribine IV QD over 2 hours on days 1-5, and cytarabine IV QD over 2 hours on days 1-5 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients achieving partial remission (including MRD positive \[pos\] CR, CR with incomplete platelet recovery \[CRp\], and CR with incomplete count recovery \[CRi\]) or persistent AML may receive up to 2 cycles of induction therapy per the discretion of the treating physician. POST-REMISSION: Patients receive sorafenib PO BID on days 8-27 or 3 days prior to next cycle of treatment, whichever occurs first. Patients also receive filgrastim subcutaneously SC QD on days 0-5, cladribine IV QD over 2 hours on days 1-5, and cytarabine IV QD over 2 hours on days 1-5 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients achieving MRDneg CR may receive up to 4 cycles of post-remission therapy. Patients achieving disease response (MRDpos CR, CRi/CRp, or persistent disease) may receive up to two induction cycles and 1 cycle of post-remission therapy with mitoxantrone omitted in cycle 3. If they then enter MRDneg CR, they can proceed with up to a total of 4 cycles of post-remission therapy. MAINTENANCE THERAPY: Patients achieving MRDneg CR may receive maintenance therapy of sorafenib PO BID for up to 1 year. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for up to 5 years.