Efficacy of Azacitidine in the treatment of adult patients aged 65 years or older with AML.
Therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in elderly populations (>65 years) is still a challenge for scientists and hematologists worldwide, and represents an urgent medical need. Notably, the identification and the recognition of molecular and epigenetic mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of such a heterogeneous disease, are providing new tools for a more successful and 'targeted' approach. Azacitidine is a hypomethylating agent (HMA) with relevant activity in patients affected by myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and AML with low blast cells percentage (>30%), in terms of reduction of transfusion dependence, and improvement of quality of life. Areas covered: This review summarizes the mechanism of action, safety profile and efficacy of azacitidine in the field of elderly AML populations, providing up-to-date references on this subset of high-risk patients. Expert opinion: HMAs are the first successful treatment for elderly patients with high-risk MDS and are effective for some AML subtypes. Translational studies based on gene expression profiling and molecular sequencing, would be able to identify, in the near future, patients with a favorable profile of response to these compounds suggesting new potential treatment combinations also.
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Elena
E
Tenti
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Cristina
C
Papayannidis
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Giovanni
G
Marconi
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Sarah
S
Parisi
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Giorgia
G
Simonetti
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Stefania
S
Paolini
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Chiara
C
Sartor
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Emanuela
E
Ottaviani
b Dept Hematol & Oncol Sci, St Orsola Malpighi Hospital , Univ Bologna , Bologna , Italy.
Nicoletta
N
Testoni
a Institute of Hematology L. e A. Seràgnoli , Universita degli Studi di Bologna Azienda Ospedaliera Sant\'Orsola-Malpighi Ringgold standard institution , Bologna , Italy.
Giovanni
G
Martinelli
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D001374:Azacitidine
Azacitidine; acute myeloid leukemia; hematology; hypomethylation