INTENSIVE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE TREATMENT OF CHOICE FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 58  (3) , 467-470
Abstract
Patients (107) with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), ranging in age from 15-82 yr who were previously untreated, received a 7 day high-dose remission induction regimen consisting of daunorubicin, cytarabine and thioguanine (TAD). Identical complete remission rates of 76% were observed for 33 patients 60 yr of age and older and for 74 patients age 15-59 yr. Median remission duration and survival were 14 mo. and 22 mo. for patients 60 yr and older, and 16 mo. and 22 mo. for patients 15-59 yr. These differences are not significant. Older patients evidently respond to intensive chemotherapy in a similar manner to younger patients with this disease.