Recently approved therapies in acute myeloid leukemia: A complex treatment landscape

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease. Until recently, treatment for patients with AML was limited to induction chemotherapy with cytarabine and anthracycline or hypomethylating agents, and, in some instances, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. With the recent approval of new therapies-i.e., CPX-351, enasidenib, ivosidenib, gemtuzumab ozogamicin, and midostaurin-a new era in AML treatment has emerged. Comprehensive diagnostic testing, such as cytogenetic and molecular testing, is necessary for establishing patient eligibility for these new agents and should be performed in a timely manner. However, choosing a therapy for patients who are eligible for multiple treatments may be a complex process, particularly for patients with newly diagnosed AML. This review discusses data, including associated safety profiles that supported these recent approvals, and provides insights to help clinicians navigate new therapy options for this devastating disease. Given the heterogeneity of AML, the treatment landscape will likely continue to grow and evolve as additional agents (and their combinations) are approved for the treatment of subpopulations of patients with AML. Physicians will need to remain abreast of the ever-changing treatment landscape.