Analysis of clinical characteristics and treatment effect of acute myeloid leukemia in elderly patients / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the clinical and biological characteristics and treatment effect of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in elderly patients. Methods The clinical data of 62 patients over 60 years old with AML were retrospectively analyzed, and they were compared with those of 60 younger adult patients (18-59 years old) at the same period. Results In elderly patients, the complete remission (CR) rate was 27. 7% and the overall effective rate was 44.7%, which were lower than those of younger adult patients (74.1% and 87.9 %, 1-espectively, P＜0.01). The early death rate was 19.0% and the mortality rate during the first two induction chemotherapy was 29. 3% in the elderly, which were higher than those of younger adult patients (3. 3% and 6.7%, 1-espectively,P＜0.01). The 27.4% of elderly patients were diagnosed as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)-transformed AML, which were more than that of younger adult patients (10.0%, P＜0.05), and they had lower CR rate than those without MDS (P＜0. 05). The 28.2% of elderly patients had lymphoid antigen positive AML and 71.8% of patients showed CD34+ which were higher than those of younger adult patients (8. 1% and 48.6%, respectively, P＜0. 05), and they had lower CR rate than those of lymphoid antigen negative and those of CD34- AML (P＜0. 05). Elderly patients had less favorable and more unfavorable karyotypes than younger adult patients (45.7 % and 15.4 %, P＜0. 05). Conclusions The elderly patients with AML have more unfavorable prognostic factors than younger adult patients. They have lower CR rate and higher mortality rate. There are many specialties in elderly patients and the treatment strategy should be made more individually.