Mauricio Sarmiento Maldonado1, Mauricio Ocqueteau Tachini2, Javier Pilcante2, Pablo Ramírez Villanueva2. 1. Departamento de Hematología y Oncología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. Address: Lira 85, 4to piso, Santiago, Chile. email: mauriciosarmiento@hotmail.com. 2. Departamento de Hematología y Oncología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Acute myeloid leukemia has a high mortality if untreated. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only curative treatment so far. Patients who are not eligible to receive a transplant can be treated with hypomethylating agents that have shown to improve disease-free and overall survival. OBJECTIVE: Retrospective description of the clinical characteristics of patients suffering from advanced myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia that were treated with a hypomethylating agent as well as its adverse effects and response to treatment. METHODS: This report shows our experience in 38 patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated with azacitidine or palliative treatment. RESULTS: Azacitidine was able to prolong survival in 80% of patients with a high incidence of adverse effects and negative impact on quality of life. Most of the patients treated with palliative intent died in the first month after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Azacitidine can prolong survival but with significant adverse effects. Untreated patients had a high early mortality.
INTRODUCTION:Acute myeloid leukemia has a high mortality if untreated. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only curative treatment so far. Patients who are not eligible to receive a transplant can be treated with hypomethylating agents that have shown to improve disease-free and overall survival. OBJECTIVE: Retrospective description of the clinical characteristics of patients suffering from advanced myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia that were treated with a hypomethylating agent as well as its adverse effects and response to treatment. METHODS: This report shows our experience in 38 patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated with azacitidine or palliative treatment. RESULTS:Azacitidine was able to prolong survival in 80% of patients with a high incidence of adverse effects and negative impact on quality of life. Most of the patients treated with palliative intent died in the first month after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS:Azacitidine can prolong survival but with significant adverse effects. Untreated patients had a high early mortality.
Entities:
Keywords:
acute myeloid leukemia; azacitidine; palliative care
Authors: Mikkael A Sekeres; Gordon Guyatt; Gregory Abel; Shabbir Alibhai; Jessica K Altman; Rena Buckstein; Hannah Choe; Pinkal Desai; Harry Erba; Christopher S Hourigan; Thomas W LeBlanc; Mark Litzow; Janet MacEachern; Laura C Michaelis; Sudipto Mukherjee; Kristen O'Dwyer; Ashley Rosko; Richard Stone; Arnav Agarwal; L E Colunga-Lozano; Yaping Chang; QiuKui Hao; Romina Brignardello-Petersen Journal: Blood Adv Date: 2020-08-11