Response and survival in acute myeloid leukemia patients not candidates to transplantation treated with azacitidine versus palliative treatment: a retrospective study.
BACKGROUND
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.
Departamento de Hematología y Oncología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. Address: Lira 85, 4to piso, Santiago, Chile. email: mauriciosarmiento@hotmail.com.
Mauricio
M
Sarmiento Maldonado
Departamento de Hematología y Oncología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Mauricio
M
Ocqueteau Tachini
Departamento de Hematología y Oncología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Javier
J
Pilcante
Departamento de Hematología y Oncología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Pablo
P
Ramírez Villanueva
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D001374:Azacitidine
acute myeloid leukemia; azacitidine; palliative care