Efficacy of Azacitidine in the treatment of adult patients aged 65 years or older with AML. (11th December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tenti, Elena; Papayannidis, Cristina; Marconi, Giovanni; Parisi, Sarah; Simonetti, Giorgia; Paolini, Stefania; Sartor, Chiara; Ottaviani, Emanuela; Testoni, Nicoletta; Martinelli, Giovanni
• Is Part Of: Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy. Volume 17:Number 18(2016)
• Page Start: 2479
• Page End: 2486
• Publication Date: 2016-12-11
• Subjects: Azacitidine -- hematology -- acute myeloid leukemia -- hypomethylation; Chemotherapy -- Periodicals; 615.5805
• DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2016.1258056
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1465-6566

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Introduction : 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.