Faculty Opinions recommendation of Attitude towards remission induction for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia influences survival.

Abstract New international recommendations of response for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) include morphologic complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi). This response criteria was defined following evaluation of new drugs used for the treatment of AML in first relapse (Sievers et al., JCO2001;19:3244–3254). The objective of our study was to determine the outcome of elderly patients with newly diagnosed AML achieving CRi. Between 1995 and 2006, 240 patients aged 65 years or older with previously untreated acute non promyelocytic leukemia received a conventional anthracycline and cytarabine induction chemotherapy at a single institution. Median age was 71 years (range, 65–85). One hundred and nineteen patients achieved a complete response (CR) (50%), 15 patients achieved CRi (6%), 69 patients had persisting leukemia (29%), and 37 died during remission induction therapy (15%). Patients who reached a CR or CRi after 1 or 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy proceeded to consolidation. Only 9 patients in CRi received this consolidation chemotherapy course (60%) and none had intensification (intermediate-dose cytarabine and/or autologous stem cell transplantation) whereas for patients achieving CR, 88% (n=104) and 69% (n=82) had consolidation and intensification, respectively (p=0,01 and p=0,03). The median overall survival (OS) was respectively 9 and 18 months for patients in CRi and CR (p=0,08). OS was significantly lower for patients in CRi younger than 70 years (5 versus 17 months for CR, p=0,02). By landmark analysis, there was no difference in OS between patients in CRi and a group of 67 patients with induction failure surviving at less 40 days (p=0,14). Disease-free survival (DFS) and remission duration were not significantly different between patients in CRi and CR overall (5 and 8 months, and 5 and 7 months, respectively), but we found a difference for patients younger than 70 years (p=0,004 and p=0,009 for DFS and remission duration, respectively). There was significantly more multilineage dysplasia in patients achieving CRi (8 versus 33, p=0,009) and platelet count at diagnosis were lower (44 G/L versus 82 G/L). Cytogenetic did not differ between the two groups. Our results show that the outcome of elderly patients who achieved CRi is inferior to patients in CR, especially for patients younger than 70 years. Although this response criteria seems to indicate activity, we were not able to found a difference with patients who did not achieve CR. This result will be revaluated in a larger study. Our data also suggest that patients with CRi have different initial disease characteristics. Figure Figure

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Postremission treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission after intensive induction chemotherapy:results of the multicenter randomized Acute Leukemia French Association (ALFA) 9803 trial

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2007-02-069666 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 109 (12) ◽

pp. 5129-5135 ◽

Cited By ~ 109

Author(s):

Claude Gardin ◽

Pascal Turlure ◽

Thierry Fagot ◽

Xavier Thomas ◽

Christine Terre ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Overall Survival ◽

Acute Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Complete Remission ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Disease Free Survival ◽

Remission Induction ◽

Intensive Chemotherapy ◽

Transfusion Requirements ◽

Acute Myeloid

Abstract In elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated intensively, no best postremission strategy has emerged yet. This clinical trial enrolled 416 patients with AML aged 65 years or older who were considered eligible for standard intensive chemotherapy, with a first randomization comparing idarubicin with daunorubicin for all treatment sequences. After induction, an ambulatory postremission strategy based on 6 consolidation cycles administered monthly in outpatients was randomly compared with an intensive strategy with a single intensive consolidation course similar to induction. Complete remission (CR) rate was 57% with 10% induction deaths, and estimated overall survival was 27% at 2 years and 12% at 4 years, without notable differences between anthracycline arms. Among the 236 patients who reached CR, 164 (69%) were randomized for the postremission comparison. In these patients, the multivariate odds ratio in favor of the ambulatory arm was 1.51 for disease-free survival (P =.05) and 1.59 for overall survival from CR (P =.04). Despite repeated courses of chemotherapy associated with a longer time under treatment, the ambulatory arm was associated with significantly shorter rehospitalization duration and lower red blood cell unit and platelet transfusion requirements than observed in the intensive arm. In conclusion, more prolonged ambulatory treatment should be preferred to intensive chemotherapy as postremission therapy in elderly patients with AML reaching CR after standard intensive remission induction.

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Treatment of Elderly Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Adjusted to Age, Performance Status, Organ Function and the Presence of Co-Morbidities. Final Results of the Polish Adult Leukemia Group (PALG) 1/2005 Study.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v116.21.1067.1067 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 116 (21) ◽

pp. 1067-1067

Author(s):

Bozena Katarzyna Budziszewska ◽

Agnieszka Pluta ◽

Kazimierz Sulek ◽

Tadeusz Robak ◽

Sebastian Giebel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Kidney Function ◽

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Cox Model ◽

Performance Status ◽

Remission Induction ◽

Frail Patients ◽

Liver And Kidney ◽

Acute Myeloid

Abstract Abstract 1067 Elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia are heterogenous group with poor outcome. All age, biological status and co-morbidities limit applicability of intensive chemotherapy. The PALG elaborated original system allowing stratification of patients aged >60 years to three groups with different therapeutic approach. Altogether 537 patients with newly diagnosed AML and median age 70 years (range 60–93) were classified as 1) ‘fit’ (n=163): age 60–79y, ECOG 0–2, proper liver and kidney function, without comorbidities, 2) ‘unfit’ (n=210): age >60 years, ECOG 0–2, normal liver and kidney function, comorbidities allowed, 3) ‘frail’ (n=164): ECOG 3–4. According to PALG 1/2005 protocol ‘fit’ patients were treated similarly as younger adults with daunorubicin (DNR, 3 days) + cytarabine (AraC, 7 days) +/− cladribine, followed by DNR + AraC consolidation and maintenance. ‘Unfit’ patients received either two courses of AraC+DNR (2+5) or AraC (5 days) + thioguanine + methotrexate, followed by manitenance. ‘Frail’ patients were considered for palliative cytoreduction and supportive care. Results: Complete remission (CR) rate was 35% for ‘fit’, 22% for ‘unfit’ and 0% for ‘frail’ patients. Median survival in the respective groups equaled 39 weeks, 26 w., and 14 w., while the probability of survival at 1 year was 39%, 27% and 10%. The rate of early (up to 8 weeks) mortality was 31%, 24% and 31%, respectively. In the Cox model the only factor independently affecting the risk of overall mortality in both ‘fit’ and x‘unfit’ group was serum LDH above upper quartile (HR=2, p=0.005 for ‘fit’, HR=1.65, p=0.006 for ‘unfit’). Among ‘frail’ patients the risk of mortality was increased in patients with performance status ECOG>2 (HR=1.85, p=0.0008), initial WBC >8.5×10e9/L (HR=1.65, p=0.006), and bone marrow blasts >58% (HR=1.8, p=0.001). We conclude that the proposed stratification system is feasible for elderly AML patients and represets a model for further developments of individualized therapeutic approaches. Survival of patients in whom remission induction therapy may be applied depends on initial tumor burden as reflected by high serum LDH level. The outcome of patients referred for palliative treatment depends additionally on initial performance status. In contrast, neither age nor karyotype were found to independently affect outcome in this study. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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