Time Elapsed from AML Diagnosis to Induction Chemotherapy Affects Overall Survival

Luís Arthur Flores Pelloso, Sandra Serson Rohr, Mihoko Yamamoto, Maria de Lourdes L. Ferrari Chauffaille

Section of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Department of Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Federal University of S?o Paulo (UNIFESP-EPM), S?o Paulo, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/jct.2013.45108                

Abstract

We aimed to study the effect of elapsed time from AML diagnosis to treatment (TDT) on OS in a group of patients from public Hospital in Brazil. 41 AML (23 M, 18 F, 41 yrs, 18 - 84 yrs, from 2001 to 2004). There were 38 de novo AML and 3 secondary, median TDT was 6 days (range 1 - 82 d); the young ones were treated earlier than old ones (TDT 4 days vs 11, p = 0.07). Longer TDT (>10 d) was associated with worse CR rates (p = 0.02) and OS (p = 0.04). When patients were categorized into TDT from 1 - 4 d (I) vs >5 (II), those from I presented better OS than II (p = 0.004). When TDT was longer than 7 days OS decreased even more. Hb was higher in patients with TDT I vs II (8.3 vs 7.5 g/dL, p = 0.03) but WBC (p = 0.34) and platelet count (p = 0.75) were not different. Patients with TDT of 10 d were younger than TDT > 10 d (median age 41 vs 70 yrs, p = 0.001). The OS was 15.1% in 2 yrs and 8.6% in 7 yrs. Our data suggest longer TDT, when analyzed continuously, predicted for lower CR rates and OS rates.

Keywords

Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Karyotype; Time to Induction; Elderly AML; Prognostic Factors

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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