[High-intensity chemotherapy versus palliative chemotherapy in patients over 60 years with acute myeloid leukemia]

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2016:54 Suppl 2:S148-55.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Background: The use of high-intensity chemotherapy (HIC) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the elderly is controversial. In the present study, it was assessed complete remission and overall survival of AML patients over 60 years treated with HIC or palliative chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients with ECOG ≤ 2 and adequate organic function received HIC with a base of cytarabine for five or seven days, and an anthracycline for three days. If patients achieved complete remission of leukemia, they received one or two cycles of consolidation with cytarabine. Palliative treatment consisted of supported measures and/or oral or intravenous low-dose chemotherapy.

Results: Seven patients treated with HIC achieved complete remission versus only one in the palliative group. Only one patient died during HIC treatment. Median survival for HIC-treated patients was 13.25 months, and only 3.35 months for patients treated with palliative therapy (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: AML patients of 60 years or older, with good performance status (ECOG ≤ 2) and adequate organ function, may benefit from HIC treatment, with better survival, compared with palliative therapy.

Introducción: el tratamiento con quimioterapia intensa (QTI) en pacientes con leucemia mieloblástica (LMA) mayores de 60 años es controversial. En el presente estudio se evaluó la remisión completa y la supervivencia global de pacientes con LMA mayores de 60 años, tratados con QTI o quimioterapia paliativa. Métodos: los pacientes con adecuada función orgánica y ECOG ≤ 2 recibieron QTI a base de citarabina por cinco o siete días más un antracíclico por tres días y terapia de soporte. En caso de lograr remisión completa de la leucemia recibieron uno o dos ciclos de consolidación con citarabina. El tratamiento paliativo consistió en medidas de soporte o quimioterapia oral o intravenosa en dosis bajas. Resultados: del grupo de QTI siete pacientes alcanzaron remisión completa, comparados con uno del grupo de quimioterapia paliativa. La supervivencia global fue de 13.25 meses para los pacientes con QTI y de 3.35 meses para los pacientes de quimioterapia paliativa (p < 0.05). Conclusión: es posible que los pacientes con LMA mayores de 60 años de edad se beneficien de recibir QTI, comparada con la quimioterapia paliativa.

Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Chemotherapy; Elderly.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anthracyclines / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Cytarabine / therapeutic use
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / mortality
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Palliative Care / methods*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anthracyclines
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cytarabine