[Analysis of efficacy and prognosis of induction chemotherapy in 76 elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (non-APL)].

This study was purposed to investigate the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (non-APL). The clinical data of 76 elderly ( ≥ 60 old years) AML (non-APL) patients from January 2000 to January 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. According to treatment methods,the 76 patients were divided into 2 groups: induction chemotherapy group (51 cases) and best supportive treatment group (25 cases). The patients in induction chemotherapy group received the cytarabine-based induction chemotherapy regimens, including DA, MA, HA, IA and CAG; the patients in best supportive treatment group received supportive treatment including hydroxyurea, blood transfusion and so on. The clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis between 2 groups were compared. The results showed that the median survival times of patients in induction chemotherapy and best supportive treatment groups were 5 (0.2-89) and 3 (0.1-17) months respectively, there was significantly statistical difference in median survival time between 2 groups(P < 0.01) suggesting that the induction chemotherapy obviously prolonged the survival time of elderly CML patients. The 5 patients in induction chemotherapy group survived more than 60 months, one of them survived more than nine years. After the first cycle of chemotherapy, the complete remission (CR) rate of patients was 19.6% (10/51), partial remission (PR) rate was 19.6% (10/51), the overall response rate (ORR) was 39.2%, the mortality of patients in induction remission stage was 13.7% (7/51) in induction chemotherapy group; no 1 case in best supportive treatment group reached to CR. The CR rate of patients by using MA regimen was 44.4% and its ORR was 55.5%, which was higher than that by using DA, HA, IA and CAG regimens. The median chemotherapy cycles were 3 (1-14). The follow-up found that the 3 months-survival rate of patients was 65% and 42%, the 6 month-survival rate of patients was 43% and 21%, the 1 year-survival rate of patients was 29% and 13%, the 5 year-survival rate of patients was 13% and 0% in induction chemotherapy and best supportive treatment groups respectively, showing that the survival of patients in induction chemotherapy group was better than those in best supportive treatment group. A total of 31 of out 51 cases (60.8%) in induction chemotherapy group not response to the first cycle of chemotherapy, the survival time of these patients was not statistically significantly different from that of patients in best supportive treatment group. It is concluded that the induction chemotherapy can significantly improve the prognosis of elderly patients with AML, and prolong their median survival time. The induction remission rate in elderly patients with AML is lower than that of younger patients. The MA regimen is better than DA, HA, IA and CAG, there is individual difference in the elderly patients with AML, If the first cycle of chemotherapy has not reached to CR or PR, the best supportive treatment may be considered. The low toxicity, efficient and well-tolerated chemotherapy regimens may be chosen to prolong the survival time of the elderly patients with AML (non-APL).