Has the prognosis of adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia improved over years? A single institution experience of 784 consecutive patients overa 16-year period

We reviewed the reports of 784 consecutive patients admitted to our departm ent for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) over a 16-year period. Median, 5-year and 10-year overall survivals were 9.5 months, 17.3% and 11 .7% respectively. Induction treatment (698 patients) resulted in 50% comple te remissions (CR) (from 26.5% in secondary AML to 81.2% in patients <60 ye ars with de novo AML). Period of diagnosis (1980-84/85-89/90-95) demonstrat ed a major significance for CR achievement and OS in multivariate analysis. In patients greater than or equal to 60 years (372), CR rate increased (25 % to 36.8%, P = 0.03), and B-year OS (3.7% to 10.6%, P = 0.022) improved, p robably due to an increase in the proportion of patients administered conve ntional combined chemotherapy (54.5% to 83.8%, P < 0.0001). in younger pati ents CR rate continuously increased (61.5% to 74.8%, P = 0.028) with an ass ociated improvement of B-year OS (19.2% to 35.4%). No significant change in DFS and CR durations was observed. This large single center study on a lar ge cohort of unselected AML patients reflects the improvement achieved in t he management of AML patients, likely due to improvement of supportive care practices, administration of conventional induction to more elderly patien ts, and intensification of induction and post-remission treatments in patie nts <60 years.