Development of therapeutic agents for older patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a disease more common in older patients than in the young. It is increasingly recognized that conventional cytotoxic chemotherapies used in children and young adults may not be appropriate in older adults because of diverse host- and disease-biology factors. This review highlights some of the most promising new treatment options that are being evaluated for older patients with AML. These options include CPX-351 (Celator Pharmaceuticals Inc), a unique liposomal formulation of a fixed ratio of cytarabine and daunorubicin; timed sequential therapy with the CDK inhibitor alvocidib (flavopiridol; sanofi-aventis/NCI); the second-generation purine nucleoside analog clofarabine; the farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib (Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development LLC); and the DNA methyltransferase inhibitors decitabine and azacitidine.
Hourigan
Christopher S
CS
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, 1650 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21231-1000, USA.
Karp
Judith E
JE
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents