Haematologica Reports 2005; 1(issue 8):
18-19[prev][index][next]
Gemtuzumab ozogamicin
Amadori S
Hematology, University, Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
Treatment outcome for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has
substantially improved over the last decade, especially in patients
younger than 60 years of age who can tolerate intensified treatment
strategies including hematopoietic stem cell
transplantation.1 On the other hand, there has been
little progress in the treatment of older patients where intensive
chemotherapy regimens are associated with a lower complete
remission (CR) rate, an increased risk of relapse and an inferior
overall survival.2-3 Factors which have been considered
important in explaining the adverse effect of age include: 1)
reduced ability of older patients to withstand the morbidity
associated with chemotherapy-induced marrow hypoplasia; 2)
concurrent medical problems; 3) unfavourable biologic profile of
the disease as documented by a high proportion of patients
presenting with adverse cytogenetics, preexisting myelodysplasia,
stem cell and chemoresistant phenotype. [>Read
full article in PDF]
