Updated Results of an Age-Adapted Consolidation Strategy with ABMT ( 50 Years) in Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

AML patients in first complete remission (CR) after doxorubicin-cytarabine-thioguanine (DoxAT) chemotherapy were scheduled to receive two early consolidation courses followed by HiDAC (1 g/m2/bd for 6 days) if aged > 50 years or HiDAC plus total body irradiation (TBI) plus ABMT if aged 50), respectively. Overall 5-year survival rate was 40% (P < 0.0001), 54% for CR patients, 60% after ABMT, and 65% after HiDAC. Only the presence of hepatosplenomegaly at diagnosis was associated with a significantly worse outcome. The long-term update of this study confirms that it is possible to achieve cure in about one-half of adult AML cases able to receive aggressive postremission consolidation including ABMT or HiDAC.