Prognostic Index for Older Adult Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia: The Edouard Herriot Hospital Experience

Background

The treatment of elderly adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with unsatisfactory rates of complete responses and long-term overall survival (OS). Therefore, a clinically useful prognostic index would facilitate therapeutic decision-making and evaluation of investigational treatment strategies in this patient population.

Patients and Methods

A prognostic score is presented based on the multivariate analysis of 432 patients with non-M3 AML aged > 60 years, selected on the basis of their initial performance status and the absence of severe comorbid factors for entering into 5 successive clinical trials combining an anthracycline and cytarabine. Four clinically relevant parameters are included in this index: cytogenetics at diagnosis, history of previous hematologic disorder, hematologic features at diagnosis, and lactate dehydrogenase level at diagnosis.

Results

Using this stratification system, 3 risk groups were defined: a favorable-risk group A (OS of 39% at 2 years and 21% at 5 years), an intermediate-risk group B (OS of 19% at 2 years and 8% at 5 years), and a poor-risk group C (OS of 5% at 2 years and 0 at 5 years).

Conclusion

The prognostic index estimates the outcome of elderly patients with AML usually selected for intensive chemotherapy trials using 4 easily determined parameters and might identify patients who are really candidates for this treatment strategy from those for whom investigational therapy or palliation might be most appropriate.