title: Recent developments in the treatment of older individuals with acute myeloid leukemia: 2014.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in older persons remains a tremendous clinical challenge. AML in older patients is more often associated with biologically unfavorable features, and these patients are less likely to tolerate or accept intensive therapy. There have not been substantial improvements in outcome for this group of patients despite decades of research. In this review, we summarize the most substantial contributions in the past 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There have been three major research themes in the recently published literature for older patients with AML: methods to predict response to therapy, models to predict toxicity of therapy in older, less-fit patients, and investigation of novel agents for AML patients with either newly diagnosed or relapsed disease. An unexpected recent finding has been the observation that complete remission in this disease may not necessarily translate into an overall survival advantage, and conversely, survival benefit has been demonstrated without any improvement in complete remission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although anthracycline and cytarabine-based therapy remains the standard of care for older patients with AML, this option remains suboptimal for the vast majority of patients. We argue for a national research agenda that may help to accelerate progress for older people with AML.
authors.affiliation: aDivision of Hematology/Oncology, The Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, Wisconsin bDivision of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Michaelis
authors.forename: Harry P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Erba
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060830:Consolidation Chemotherapy; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome