Comparison of acute myeloid leukemia patients at MD Anderson: 1982-1986 vs 1992-1996

We compared the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) population seen at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in the period from 1982 to 1986 with the population seen in the period of 1992 to 1996. The population seen in the 1990s was significantly (P < 0.01) older than the population seen in the 1980s, and was more likely (P < 0.001) to have abnormalities of chromosomes 5 and/or (5q-, -5, 7q-, -7). The increase in the incidence of -5/-7 was seen in both younger and older patients. Because the populations differed in these ways it is likely that they differed in other, less quantifiable ways. Our results suggest caution when using historical controls and when generalizing findings from randomized studies.