Treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Most patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are over the age of 60 years yet optimal treatment strategies for older adults remain unclear. Old age is associated with increased risk of treatment-related toxicity and worse survival compared to younger adults. It is widely recognized that chronological age does not capture the heterogeneous physiological and functional status of older adults. Thus, it is critically important to evaluate both disease-related (adverse cytogenetics, unfavorable gene mutations, secondary AML, etc.) and patient-related (age, PS, comorbidity, ADL, physical function, cognitive function, nutritional status, social situation, etc.) factors before making the treatment decision for elderly AML patients. The geriatric assessment (GA) can identify problems that may interfere with cancer treatment and predict chemotherapy toxicity and survival. Identification of the most efficient GA screening tools for detecting multiple patient-related factors is necessary to make optimal treatment decision and improve the outcomes for elderly AML patients.