Understanding unmet needs in the older acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient

Introduction: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a rare form of cancer characterized by the infiltration of abnormal white blood cells that accumulate in the bone marrow at a rapid rate. AML has an overall incidence of 4 per 100,000 persons and accounted for over 10,000 deaths within the United States in 2015 [1]. Indeed, AML also represents a disease typically associated with the elderly, as the median age of diagnosis for AML is around 72 years old [2]. Advances: Over the past decades we have seen major advances in terms of understanding AML’s biology and prognosis, but some questions still remain unanswered, particularly for the elderly population. This gap in our understanding of AML translates into unmet needs for this population. Conclusion: The current paper seeks to describe these specific needs and their associated barriers related to treatment, prognostic factors and relapse, health-related quality of life, disease costs, and palliative care support. Acquiring a better understanding of AML for elderly patients can lead to improved therapy options and quality-of-life for this population.