Treatment strategies in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A. First-line chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy remains the backbone of treatment in AML. Of all adult patients 65% go into remission and have a chance of longer survival and of even being cured. Among the responders, 25% can be cured by intensive and long-term chemotherapy. Since the effect of chemotherapy appears not to be limited to a special period of time, its antileukemic and curative potential could be further exploited by multiple-step chemotherapy combining double induction, intensified consolidation and long-term maintenance. Improved antimicrobial treatment and the use of hematopoietic growth factors may help making multiple-step chemotherapy practicable, thereby increasing the cure rate in AML.
Buechner
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Department of Internal Medicine-Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital, Muenster, Federal Republic of Germany.
Hiddemann
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D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged