Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the Elderly Population

Epidemiologic Evidence

• The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines establish AML as the predominant acute leukemia in the adult population, accounting for the largest number of annual leukemia deaths in the United States, with a median age at diagnosis of 67 years and 54% of patients diagnosed at age ≥65 years 1, 2, 3
• The median age at diagnosis is 67 years, with approximately one-third of patients diagnosed at ≥75 years of age 1

Clinical Significance in the Elderly Population

• Elderly patients (>60 years) have an adverse prognosis and are more susceptible to treatment complications, with treatment decisions complicated by comorbidities and the high prevalence of adverse biological features 4, 5, 6, 7
• The disease is biologically distinct in older adults, characterized by higher prevalence of poor prognostic markers, unfavorable cytogenetics, and resistance to therapy, although the exact mechanisms are not fully understood 4, 5, 6, 7

Real-World Treatment Patterns

• Population-based data demonstrates that in unselected elderly populations, 27% of patients age 65-74 and 72% of patients age >74 did not receive intensive chemotherapy, and among Medicare beneficiaries older than 65, approximately 70% did not receive chemotherapy 8