Progress in acute myelogenous leukemia

There has been substantial recent progress in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Intensive induction chemotherapy with cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin with or without 6-thioguanine will induce remission in over 70% of patients, with median remission of 1-2 years in most series. Attempts to prolong remissions with maintenance chemotherapy, immunotherapy, late intensification or central nervous system prophylaxis have been disappointing and there are no convincing data that these modalities are useful. Nevertheless, an increasing proportion of patients with AML have remissions of 3 or more years, and a small proportion may be cured.