Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia patients who are not eligible for intensive induction chemotherapy: A real-world study from Latin-America

Abstract

Introduction. There is a knowledge gap concerning patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are not eligible for intensive induction chemotherapy; this, together with a recent increase in the incidence in Latin America, encloses a need. Through real-world evidence, we describe and compare the results of the different treatment strategies within this context. Methodology. This is a longitudinal, descriptive, retrospective study of a cohort of Latin American patients with AML not eligible for intensive induction chemotherapy, treated with low-intensity chemotherapy or with the best supportive care alone between January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. Results. Of a total of 125 patients (median age 74.8 years), the majority received low-intensity chemotherapy (78.4%). The median time in months of overall survival (9.2), progression-free survival (4.8), and time to treatment failure (3.8) were longer in patients receiving hypomethylating agents. Additionally, better results were observed with low-intensity chemotherapy (complete response 11.2% and stable disease 17.3%) compared to the best supportive care alone. Conclusion. We deliver a real-world standpoint of Latin American patients with AML who are not eligible for intensive induction chemotherapy. Our findings pave the first steps of the way to describe, understand, and support informed decision-making processes in our region.