Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy that affects the older population. Low intensive therapies and the best supportive care are considered better options for frail and older patients. In last decades treatment approaches have been hopefull with the hypomethylating agents for this population. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of combination therapy including azacytidine (AZA), etopocide and cytosine arabinoside(Ara-C), which is used as standard care for unfit and older AML cases in our hematology department.

METHODS

Retrospectively, we analyzed our newly-diagnosed older AML patients who were ineligible for intensive regimens due to unfit performance status. Groups with similar age, ECOG performance status and comorbidity were compared in terms of hematological parameters, follow-up, response status and survival. While 32 patients were treated with a combined hypomethylating agent protocol, other patients (n: 32) received low intense therapy including low dose Ara-C and/or daily hydroxyurea (HU).

RESULTS

Eight patients who treated with combined protocol achieved complet remission and parsial remission least. (p: 0.011) While 30 day-mortality was found significantly higher in patients treated with the low intense therapy than AZA combined protocol, overall survival was found similar (resp. p: 0.005 and p: 0.092).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Treatment should be encouraged for older AML patients who are not eligible for intensive therapy due to comorbidities and poor performance. While combinations of HMA with new investigational therapies are promising strategies, there is a need for the investigation of new combinations of HMA with easily accessible agents for developing countries where expensive new agents are not available. With the survival and response advantage, AZA-etopocide-AraC combination therapy can be a treatment option for selected patients.