(IV) In a recent study from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 170 patients with a median age of 66 years with AML or high risk MDS were randomized to receive FAI (fludarabine, Ara C and idarubicin) alone, or FAI combined with either G CSF or ATRA or both. The overall 6 month survival was 49%. In a comparison of ATRA-treated versus ATRA-non-treated patients, there was a more favourable outcome in recipients of retinoids, with CR rates of 56% vs 42% respectively (p=0.06) and superior 6 month survival and event free survival (both p=0.02) but no long-term benefit was demonstrable. In this study the exposure to retinoid was relatively short, namely from day -2 to day +8 of chemotherapy (Rif. 30).