Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous malignancy characterized by recurrent genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic abnormalities. Historically, prognosis is relatively poor with long-term overall survival (OS) achieved in approximately 40% of young adults, and only 10-15% of elderly patients (>65 years) with AML. As a matter of fact, most AML patients are either primary refractory to induction therapy, or subsequently relapse following a brief remission likely due to persistence of chemo-resistant leukemia stem cells or low volume minimal residual disease. However, major breakthroughs have been achieved in deciphering the genetic landscape of AML and its impact on prognostication, therapy selection, and outcomes in patients with AML.
Accordingly, the therapeutic armamentarium of AML has rapidly progressed in the past few years, driven largely by translational research into its genomic landscape, and an improved understanding of mechanisms of resistance to conventional therapies. As a result of our increasing knowledge of the underlying biology of AML leading to rational drug development, several new targeted agents have been recently added to our therapeutic arsenal, and the treatment landscape has changed substantially since 2017. New targeted drugs have emerged, including venetoclax, midostaurin, gilteritinib, ivosidenib, enasidenib, gemtuzumab ozogomycin, glasdegib, and a liposomal formulation of daunorubicin and cytarabine (CPX-351). For decades, treatment decisions have largely centered around chemotherapy drug intensity. Physicians now have access to an increasing number of drugs with novel mechanisms of action and distinctive side-effect profiles.
This research topic will be focusing on the efficacy of novel therapeutics and promising combination approaches to further improve outcomes in the treatment of patients with AML. We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review and Clinical Trial articles.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous malignancy characterized by recurrent genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic abnormalities. Historically, prognosis is relatively poor with long-term overall survival (OS) achieved in approximately 40% of young adults, and only 10-15% of elderly patients (>65 years) with AML. As a matter of fact, most AML patients are either primary refractory to induction therapy, or subsequently relapse following a brief remission likely due to persistence of chemo-resistant leukemia stem cells or low volume minimal residual disease. However, major breakthroughs have been achieved in deciphering the genetic landscape of AML and its impact on prognostication, therapy selection, and outcomes in patients with AML.
Accordingly, the therapeutic armamentarium of AML has rapidly progressed in the past few years, driven largely by translational research into its genomic landscape, and an improved understanding of mechanisms of resistance to conventional therapies. As a result of our increasing knowledge of the underlying biology of AML leading to rational drug development, several new targeted agents have been recently added to our therapeutic arsenal, and the treatment landscape has changed substantially since 2017. New targeted drugs have emerged, including venetoclax, midostaurin, gilteritinib, ivosidenib, enasidenib, gemtuzumab ozogomycin, glasdegib, and a liposomal formulation of daunorubicin and cytarabine (CPX-351). For decades, treatment decisions have largely centered around chemotherapy drug intensity. Physicians now have access to an increasing number of drugs with novel mechanisms of action and distinctive side-effect profiles.
This research topic will be focusing on the efficacy of novel therapeutics and promising combination approaches to further improve outcomes in the treatment of patients with AML. We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review and Clinical Trial articles.
